Erythroxylum novogranatense

Erythroxylum novogranatense, also known as Colombian Coca, is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Erythroxylaceae native to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Trinidad-Tobago, and Venezuela. It is used medicinally and as a narcotic. Erythroxylum novogranatense is one of the primary species of cultivated Coca, despite being less widely cultivated than Erythroxylum coca.

Description

A shrub or small tree. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are narrowly oval and 1-5 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. Flowers can occur singly or in groups. They are small and whitish yellow. The fruit are red and oblong. They are 7-8 mmlong by 3 mm wide.

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. Highly regarded for its flavour and cocaine content, it has long been used for coca-flavoured beverages.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are chewed as a stimulant. They are used in drinks.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

As one of the oldest cultivated plants in the Americas, Erythroxylum novogranatense has been cultivated as a source of cocaine for thousands of years, but its role in the production of cocaine is relatively small. Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense represents about 20% of the coca crop grown in Colombia. Erythroxylum novogranatense var. truxillense is used as a flavouring agent of Coca Cola, which uses decocainised extracts of this variety. The cocaine produced by the process of decocanisation is sold for legal use in modern surgery for pain management. Dried leaves of Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense are used in the preparation of coca tea by the indigenous Nasa tribe of Colombia. The leaves of Erythroxylum novogranatense are also used to produce Coca flour. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant throughout tropical countries.

Known Hazards

The cocaine content in leaves of E. novogranatense var. novogranatense is 0.55-0.93%, with an average of 0.77% and in E. novogranatense var. truxillense the cocaine content is 0.42-1.02%, with a mean of 0.72%. The foliage also contains cinnamoylcocaine. The plants also contain methyl salicylate.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows up to 1600 m altitude in the Andes. It suits the hot moist tropics. In XTBG.

Where It Grows

Andes, Asia, China, Colombia, Indonesia, SE Asia, South America*, Sri Lanka, Taiwan,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds and from cuttings.

Other 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.

Notes

There are about 250 Erythroxylum species. It contains tropane alkaloids. It is a narcotic.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Koka kolumbia

References (9)

• Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 20(Beibl. 49):35. 1895
• Brouk, B., 1975, Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press, London. p 376
• Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 1 (A-H) p 966
• Cobley, L.S. (rev. Steele, W.M.) 2nd Ed., 1976, An Introduction to the Botany of Tropical Crops. Longmans. p 226
• Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A., and Seberg, O. 2007, Flowering Plant Families of the World. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. p 143

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