''Virola'' is a genus of medium-sized

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s native to the

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

and closely related to other

Myristicaceae The Myristicaceae are a family of flowering plants native to Africa, Asia, Pacific islands, and the Americas and has been recognized by most taxonomists. It is sometimes called the "nutmeg family", after its most famous member, '' Myristica fra ...

, such as

nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...

. Species are known commonly as ''epená'', ''patricá'', or ''cumala''. They have glossy, dark green

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

and clusters of tiny yellow

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanis ...

s, and may emit a pungent odor.

Traditional use

Several species of this genus have been used to create

hallucinogen Hallucinogens are a large, diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, mood, and perception as well as other changes. Most hallucinogens can be categorize ...

ic snuff powders.

Chemical constituents

The tops of '' Virola oleifera'' have been shown to produce lignan-7-ols and verrucosin that have

antifungal An antifungal medication, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis (thrush), serious systemic infections such as ...

action regarding ''

Cladosporium sphaerospermum ''Cladosporium sphaerospermum'' is a radiotrophic fungus belonging to the genus ''Cladosporium'' and was described in 1886 by Albert Julius Otto Penzig from the decaying leaves and branches of ''Citrus''. It is a dematiaceous (darkly-pigmented) ...

'' in doses as low as 25 micrograms. Lignan-7-ols oleiferin-B and oleiferin-G worked for ''

Cladosporium cladosporioides ''Cladosporium cladosporioides'' is a darkly pigmented mold that occurs world-wide on a wide range of materials both outdoors and indoors. It is one of the most common fungi in outdoor air where its spores are important in seasonal allergic dise ...

'' starting as low as 10 micrograms.

Species

About 76 species, including: *'' Virola aequatorialis'' *'' Virola albidiflora'' *'' Virola araujovii'' *'' Virola atopa'' *'' Virola bicuhyba'' *'' Virola boliviensis'' *'' Virola brachycarpa'' *'' Virola caducifolia'' *'' Virola calophylla'' (Spruce) Warb., *'' Virola calophylloidea'' *'' Virola carinata'' *'' Virola coelhoi'' *'' Virola crebrinervia'' *'' Virola cuspidata'' *'' Virola decorticans'' *'' Virola divergens'' *'' Virola dixonii'' *''

Virola duckei ''Virola'' is a genus of medium-sized trees native to the South American rainforest and closely related to other Myristicaceae, such as nutmeg. Species are known commonly as ''epená'', ''patricá'', or ''cumala''. They have glossy, dark gre ...

'' *'' Virola elliptica'' *'' Virola elongata'' (syn. ''V. theiodora'') *'' Virola flexuosa'' *'' Virola gardneri'' *'' Virola glaziovii'' *'' Virola glycycarpa'' *'' Virola guatemalensis'' *'' Virola guggnheimii'' *'' Virola incolor'' *'' Virola koschnyi'' *'' Virola kukachkana'' *'' Virola kwatae'' *'' Virola laevigata'' *'' Virola lepidota'' *'' Virola lieneana'' *'' Virola lorentensia'' (or ''V. loretensis'') *'' Virola macrantha'' *'' Virola macrocarpa'' A.C. Sm., *'' Virola malmei'' *'' Virola marlenei'' *'' Virola megacarpa'' A.H. Gentry *'' Virola melinonii'' *'' Virola merendonis'' *'' Virola michelii'' Heckel, *'' Virola micrantha'' *'' Virola minutiflora'' *'' Virola mocoa'' *'' Virola mollissima'' *'' Virola multicostata'' Ducke *'' Virola multiflora'' (Standl. ) A. C. Sm., *'' Virola multinervia'' *'' Virola mycetis'' *'' Virola nobilis'' *'' Virola obovata'' *'' Virola officinalis'' *'' Virola oleifera'' *'' Virola panamensis'' *'' Virola papillosa'' *'' Virola parvifolia'' *'' Virola pavonis'' *'' Virola peruviana'' *'' Virola polyneura'' *'' Virola reidii'' *'' Virola rufula'' *'' Virola rugulosa'' *'' Virola schultesii'' *'' Virola schwackei'' *'' Virola sebifera'' *'' Virola sessilis'' *'' Virola steyermarkii'' *'' Virola subsessilis'' *''

Virola surinamensis ''Virola surinamensis'', known commonly as baboonwood, ucuuba, ucuhuba and ''chalviande'',Americas Regional Workshop (Conservation & Sustainable Management of Trees, Costa Rica, November 1996). 1998''Virola surinamensis''.The IUCN Red List of Thr ...

'' (Rol. ex Rottb. ) Warb., *'' Virola theiodora'' *'' Virola urbaniana'' *'' Virola venezuelensis'' *'' Virola venosa'' (Benth.) Warb. *'' Virola villosa'' *'' Virola warburgli'' *'' Virola weberbaueri''

Gallery

File:Virola elongata fruit.jpg, ''Virola elongata'' fruit File:Virola elongata seeds.jpg, ''Virola elongata'' seeds File:Virola carinata embryo.jpg, ''Virola carinata'' embryo File:Virola sebifera.jpg, ''Virola sebifera'' File:Virola surinamensis 2.jpg, ''Virola surinamensis''

Legal status

United States

Louisiana

Except for ornamental purposes, growing, selling or possessing ''Virola'' spp. is prohibited by

Louisiana State Act 159 Signed into law June 28, 2005, and effective August 8, 2005, Louisiana State Act No 159 found in, Louisiana RS 40:989.1, outlawed the cultivation, possession or sale of 40 named plants defined as hallucinogenic in the state of Louisiana, US. House ...

References

Notes

General references

* Jonathan Ott – ''Shamanic Snuffs or Entheogenic Errhines'' (2001) * Richard Evans Schultes – ''Plants of the Gods'' (1992)
Erowid Virola Vault

External links

*
Sura.ots.ac.cr: ''Virola koschnyi''
— ''photos and info''.
Gardening.eu: Info on Growing ''Virola''
{{Authority control Myristicaceae genera Flora of South America Entheogens Herbal and fungal hallucinogens Medicinal plants of South America Psychedelic tryptamine carriers