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Useful Tropical Plants

Paullinia yoco

R.E.Schult. & Killip

Sapindaceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Paullinia yoco is a vigorous climbing or scrambling plant. The stems are up to 12cm in diameter, they attach themselves to other vegetation by means of tendrils that eventually become woody[
434
Title
Flora of Peru
Publication
 
Author
Macbride. J.F.
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History
Year
1936
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
].
The plant is very commonly used as a stimulating drink within its native range, and also as a medicinal plant, though it is very little known outside this area. It is usually harvested from the wild, but is occasionally cultivated[
928
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol. 10
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard Botanical Museum; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1942
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - Peru, Ecuador, Colombia.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitClimber
Height0.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The softer tissues of the bark, stems and wood are used to extract the white or brownish sap which has been shown to contain 2.73% caffeine. The native people in adjacent Colombia regularly used this product as a stimulating breakfast beverage[
434
Title
Flora of Peru
Publication
 
Author
Macbride. J.F.
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History
Year
1936
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
,
521
Title
Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador.
Publication
Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15
Author
Vickers W.T.; Plowman T.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; USA.
Year
1984
ISBN
0015 - 0746
Description
Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The stem is cut into pieces 30 - 100cm long, and the epidermis, cortex, and phloem are rasped. The scrapings thus obtained are squeezed to express the caffein-bearing sap into cold water (hot or warm water is never used with yoco), the rasped tissues being then discarded. The liquid, of a cloudy milky-white or light chocolate-brown colour, is drunk cold. The beverage, which is taken early every morning, allays hunger and supplies muscular stimulation[
476
Title
Handbook of S. American Indians.
Publication
Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 143
Author
Steward J. H. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
US Government Printing Office; Washington
Year
1946 - 1950
ISBN
 
Description
In six volumes, a detailed look at the native peoples of S. America - their culture, lifestyle, use of plants etc,
].
Lianas of Paullinia Yoco, which have a stout stem at least 8cm in diameter at the base, are utilized. Usually several trees must be felled before the liana falls to the ground. Starting at the root, the stem is then cut into pieces which may vary from 30 - 100cm in length. These pieces are stored in cool corners of Indian houses and can retain their stimulating properties for a month or even longer[
928
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol. 10
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard Botanical Museum; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1942
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal.
].

Medicinal

A beverage made from the stem (see edible uses), is taken medicinally as a febrifuge and as a curative for a bilious disease[
476
Title
Handbook of S. American Indians.
Publication
Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 143
Author
Steward J. H. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
US Government Printing Office; Washington
Year
1946 - 1950
ISBN
 
Description
In six volumes, a detailed look at the native peoples of S. America - their culture, lifestyle, use of plants etc,
,
928
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol. 10
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard Botanical Museum; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1942
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal.
].
In addition to its use as a stimulant, yoco is employed, in larger dosages, as an anti-malarial febrifuge and as a medicine in the treatment of a bilious disease which is frequent in the Putumayo[
928
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol. 10
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard Botanical Museum; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1942
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Paullinia+yoco>

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