Virola

Genus of plants

Virola
Canopy of Virola koschnyi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Myristicaceae
Genus: Virola
Aubl. (1775)
Species[1]

71; see text

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.

Traditional use

Several species of this genus have been used to create hallucinogenic snuff powders.[2]

Chemical constituents

The 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

71 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.
  • Virola elongata fruit
    Virola elongata fruit
  • Virola elongata seeds
    Virola elongata seeds
  • Virola carinata embryo
    Virola carinata embryo
  • Virola sebifera
    Virola sebifera
  • Virola surinamensis
    Virola surinamensis

United States

Louisiana

Except for ornamental purposes, growing, selling or possessing Virola spp. is prohibited by Louisiana State Act 159.

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Virola Aubl. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "Virola calophylla". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-04-29.

General references

  • 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
  • Media related to Virola at Wikimedia Commons
  • Sura.ots.ac.cr: Virola koschnyi — photos and info.
  • Gardening.eu: Info on Growing Virola
Taxon identifiers
Virola
Authority control databases: National Edit this at Wikidata
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