Virola is a genus of flowering plants in the nutmeg family, Myristicaceae. It includes medium-sized trees native to rainforests of the tropical Americas, ranging from southern Mexico to Bolivia and southern Brazil.[1] Species are known commonly as epená, patricá, or cumala. They have glossy, dark green leaves and clusters of tiny yellow flowers, and may emit a pungent odor.
| Virola | |
|---|---|
| |
| Canopy of Virola koschnyi | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Magnoliales |
| Family: | Myristicaceae |
| Genus: | Virola Aubl. (1775) |
| Species[1] | |
|
71; see text | |
Traditional use
editSeveral species of this genus have been used to create hallucinogenic snuff powders.[2]
Chemical constituents
editThe tops of Virola oleifera have been shown to produce lignan-7-ols and verrucosin that have antifungal action regarding Cladosporium sphaerospermum in doses as low as 25 micrograms. Lignan-7-ols oleiferin-B and oleiferin-G worked for Cladosporium cladosporioides starting as low as 10 micrograms.[3]
Species
edit71 species are accepted.[1]
- Virola aequatorialis Muriel & Balslev
- Virola aguarunana D.Santam.
- Virola albidiflora Ducke
- Virola allenii D.Santam. & Aguilar
- Virola alvaroperezii D.Santam.
- Virola amistadensis D.Santam.
- Virola bicuhyba (Schott) Warb.
- Virola bombuscaroensis D.Santam.
- Virola caducifolia W.A.Rodrigues
- Virola calimensis D.Santam.
- Virola calophylla (Spruce) Warb.[4]
- Virola calophylloidea Markgr.
- Virola carinata (Spruce ex Benth.) Warb.
- Virola chrysocarpa D.Santam. & Aguilar
- Virola coelhoi W.A.Rodrigues
- Virola cogolloi D.Santam.
- Virola crebrinervia Ducke
- Virola cumala D.Santam.
- Virola cuspidata (Benth.) Warb.
- Virola decorticans Ducke
- Virola divergens Ducke
- Virola dixonii Little
- Virola duckei A.C.Sm.
- Virola elongata (Benth.) Warb.
- Virola flexuosa A.C.Sm.
- Virola fosteri D.Santam.
- Virola gardneri (A.DC.) Warb.
- Virola guatemalensis (Hemsl.) Warb.
- Virola guggenheimii W.A.Rodrigues
- Virola koschnyi Warb.
- Virola kwatae Sabatier
- Virola laevigata Standl.
- Virola lieneana Paula & E.P.Heringer
- Virola loretensis A.C.Sm.
- Virola macrocarpa A.C.Sm.
- Virola malmei A.C.Sm.
- Virola marleneae W.A.Rodrigues
- Virola megacarpa A.H.Gentry
- Virola michelii Heckel
- Virola micrantha A.C.Sm.
- Virola minutiflora Ducke
- Virola mollissima (Poepp. ex A.DC.) Warb.
- Virola montana D.Santam.
- Virola multicostata Ducke
- Virola multiflora (Standl.) A.C.Sm.
- Virola multinervia Ducke
- Virola nobilis A.C.Sm.
- Virola obovata Ducke
- Virola officinalis Warb.
- Virola otobifolia D.Santam.
- Virola parkeri D.Santam. & Lagom.
- Virola parvifolia Ducke
- Virola pavonis (A.DC.) A.C.Sm.
- Virola peruviana (A.DC.) Warb.
- Virola polyneura W.A.Rodrigues
- Virola reidii Little
- Virola rugulosa (Spruce) Warb.
- Virola sanguinea D.Santam.
- Virola schultesii A.C.Sm.
- Virola sebifera Aubl.
- Virola sessilis (A.DC.) Warb.
- Virola steyermarkii W.A.Rodrigues
- Virola subsessilis (Benth.) Warb.
- Virola surinamensis (Rol. ex Rottb.) Warb.
- Virola theiodora (Spruce ex Benth.) Warb. (synonym Virola rufula Warb.)
- Virola tuckerae D.Santam. & Lagom.
- Virola urbaniana Warb.
- Virola venosa (Benth.) Warb.
- Virola villosa (Benth.) Warb.
- Virola weberbaueri Markgr.
- Virola yasuniana D.Santam.
Gallery
edit-
Virola elongata fruit -
Virola elongata seeds -
Virola carinata embryo -
Virola sebifera -
Virola surinamensis
Legal status
editUnited States
editLouisiana
editExcept for ornamental purposes, growing, selling or possessing Virola spp. is prohibited by Louisiana State Act 159.
See also
edit- Myristica — some species of this genus have been reclassified into Virola.
- Ayahuasca
- Entheogen
- Psychedelic plants
References
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c Virola Aubl. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ Torres, C. M., et al. (1991). "Snuff powders from pre-Hispanic San Pedro de Atacama: Chemical and contextual analysis". Current Anthropology, 640–649. Archived 2016-03-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Sartorelli, P.; Young, M.C.M.; Kato, M.J., "Antifungal lignans from the arils of Virola oleifera"[permanent dead link]. Phytochemistry-Oxford. Oxford : Elsevier Science Ltd. March 1998. v. 47 (6) p. 1003–1006.
- ^ "Virola calophylla". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
General references
edit- Jonathan Ott – Shamanic Snuffs or Entheogenic Errhines (2001) ISBN 1-888755-02-4
- Richard Evans Schultes – Plants of the Gods (1992) ISBN 0-89281-979-0
- Erowid Virola Vault
External links
edit
Media related to Virola at Wikimedia Commons- Sura.ots.ac.cr: Virola koschnyi — photos and info.
- Gardening.eu: Info on Growing Virola
