Contemporary Uses of Vilca (Anadenanthera colubrina var cebil): A Major Ritual Plant in the Andes
Plants August 27, 2024 DOI: 10.3390/plants13172398 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review and ethnobotanical field study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Markets in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru |
| Keywords | Ethnobotany Vernacular Conquest Plant species Diversity politics Plant diversity Ethnology Medicinal plants Ecology Anthropology Ancient history |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | The use of this psychoactive species has continued after the Spanish conquest, with diverse applications and new vernacular names recorded. |
Abstract
) is a species known for its psychoactive properties and its widespread use among the pre-Hispanic peoples who inhabited the southern Andean area (southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and northwest Argentina). Studies on this species, as well as on medicinal, psychoactive, or magical plants in general, tend to consider its use in post-Spanish conquest times to be scarce or irrelevant in the Andes of South America. However, based on an in-depth review of the existing literature and on ethnobotanical research conducted in markets in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru, this paper provides an updated overview affirming the continuity of the use of this species. The results indicate a significant diversity in terms of usage types, plant parts used, treatments, and conditions in which it is applied, along with new records of vernacular names. This paper also offers an interpretation from the perspective of Andean logics, highlighting the current therapeutic effectiveness of the seeds of this plant, facilitated through a series of "movements" that aim to restore the affected person's health.