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Useful Tropical Plants

Erythroxylum novogranatense

(D.Morris) Hieron.

Erythroxylaceae


The generic name has often been spelled Erythroxylon, especially in older literature[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Erythroxylum coca novogranatense D.Morris

Erythroxylum truxillense Rusby

Common Name: Colombian Coca

Erythroxylum novogranatense
Flowers, leaves and fruits. This plant is about 5 years old and 2 metres tall.
Photograph by: Enn1.jpg
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

General Information

Colombian coca is a small, evergreen shrub growing 1 - 3 metres tall, with minute lenticels on the branches[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The leaves are used like those from E. Coca, but this species did not become a commercial source of cocaine[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].
Containing the same alkaloids as the street drug cocaine, the leaves have long been used by local people as a stimulant to overcome hunger and exhaustion[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. It is cultivated in the lower regions of tropical South America and Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka). Although of importance as a plantation crop for the Malesian region in the past, it has since long lost its importance[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height3.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant is better adapted to the warm and humid conditions of the tropical lowlands than E. coca[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Edible Uses

A high content of methyl salicylate (wintergreen oil) in the leaves makes this species an excellent raw material of flavourings for soft drinks. So 'Trujillo coca' in Peru is used in the manufacture of Coca-Cola[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].
Highly regarded for its flavour and cocaine content, it has long been used for coca-flavoured beverages[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Medicinal

The medicinal uses of this species are similar to those of Erythroxylum coca[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. These are:-

The leaves contain cocaine and other alkaloids. They are narcotic, cerebral-stimulant and locally anaesthetic[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The alkaloids are extracted and used to make various pharmaceutical drugs, including a local anaesthetic[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Chewed with lime or plant ashes the leaves cause a feeling of easiness and increasing energy. Therefore they are used by native peoples as a stimulant to endure better hunger, thirst and physical stress[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].
An infusion of the leaves serves also as remedy for altitude sickness, the feared 'soroche'[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

Formerly grown as a hedge plant in Malesia, at elevations up to 750 metres, for its bushiness and the contrast of its light green foliage with the bright red berries, but its cultivation is now prohibited[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Erythroxylum+novogranatense>

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