Rubiaceae FAMILY

Psychotria carthagenensis

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Psychotria carthagenensis is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a small but dense, flat-topped crown; it can grow from 30cm up to 12 metres tall. The straight bole can be 20 - 30cm in diameter in larger plants[ 369 Title Flora of Costa Rica Publication Author Standley P.C. Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago Year 1938 ISBN Description Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet. , 625 Title Brazilian Trees. Volume 3. Publication Author Lorenzi. H. Publisher Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. Year 2009 ISBN 85-86714-34-4 Description Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best. ]. The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use of its wood, whilst the leaves are used locally as part of the hallucinogenic drink Ayahuasca.

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeThroughout S. America other than Chile and the far south; Caribbean; C. America - Panama to Mexico.

HabitatShaded sites in seasonally dry deciduous forest formations of Guanacaste and northernmost Alajuela Province in Costa Rica, usually at elevations from 5 - 200 metres, occasionally to 1,400 metres[ 369 Title Flora of Costa Rica Publication Author Standley P.C. Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago Year 1938 ISBN Description Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet. ].