Guest UV Posted April 8, 2000 Anyone got information or pictures of this plant apart from what is in that Encyclopaedia of mis-information - High Times. If you can verify the info in that article is corect, that would also be a help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted April 9, 2000 What's the info?? I have pics and have also regrettably tried the leaves. Don't do it!! I will write a webpage for this species in the next couple of months. I can't sell it even if I could propagate it and my last cutting died a few months ago, but the info is requested so frequently and there is so much misinformation out there I feel the need to set this straight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest UV Posted April 9, 2000 Hi, That's disappoing news, but considering this is the magazine that got teenagers smoking banana skins, not altogether unexpected. Would you be able to post the pictures to me if you have them digitised. "A shrub that grows up to 4.5 meters tall with leaves from 1 cm to 3.5 cm long. The ripe fruit is up to 1 cm long, red and contains one seed. The flowers are solitary or paired with white petals. Its habitat ranges from stony/rocky hillside slopes to open sclerophyll forest, from NT through Queensland to northern NSW. History: E.australe doesn't have much history of usage but E.coca is used in Peru. It is used to combat fatigue and cocaine is made from the leaves. All Erythroxylaceae species are declared prohibited plants in NSW. Active Constituents: The leaves contain 0.8% meteloidine, a cocaine-like alkaloid. Johns, S.R., and Lamberton, J.A., 1967. Meteloidine from Erythroxylum australe. Aust. J. Chem., 20, 1301." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrBumpy Posted April 9, 2000 just wondering, whats E. australis legality in Qld? What I've read, all species are illegal in NSW, but other states haven't been mentioned, and in the same book E. australis was classed as an ornamental plant. so, does anyone know any thing about its legal status in states outside of NSW? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest UV Posted April 9, 2000 I was reading something today that indicated the CSIRO had studied the 3 Erythroxylum species in Australia. They didn't report anything interesting or even warn that the plants were "toxic" or "poisonous" if ingested. I have to wonder about the validity of this meteloidine Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted April 10, 2000 You will find that meteloidine is actually closely related to the Brugmansia alkaloids (tropanes) and bears little resemblence to cocaine. It is also inactive in humans. the otehr secies up north look a lot more interesting. If you check out their chemistry you will find that one of them contains a molecule virtually identical to cocaine, except that the linking chain is one carbon longer. This species also has a history of use as an expectorant. My experiment with australe wasn't all that toxic as I may have alluded to. after chewing the leaves for a couple of minutes my throat constricted quite severely. My osoephagus became cramped and this feeling lasted for 30 minutes. there was no stimulation, numbness or any other effect. Quite unspectacular but a little scary as the contriction was unpredictable. The shrub is so incredibly inconspicuous, that I don't think I would ever notice it even if I stood right in front of it. The berries might be the only give away, but I've never seen this species fruit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest reville Posted April 10, 2000 i went looking (online ) once and found an online seed merchant specialising in rainforest seeds who said they might be able to get them (I forget who now but i found them without much diffficulty). If i lived closer i might have looked for some rainforest reveg seed supliers or the like, only E coca is prohibited in WA so i am interested in trying others - climate willing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrBumpy Posted April 10, 2000 Torsten : is there any chance that I could veiw a copy of the pictures you have? I can remember hearing a rumor from someone (back when I wasn't interested in plants) that the australian cocaine shrub was growing at one of the local high schools. At the time I shrugged it off, but now that the converstaion has started, I remember it. so, any chance you could put them up somewhere? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest UV Posted April 11, 2000 QUOTE the otehr secies up north look a lot more interesting. If you check out their chemistry you will find that one of them contains a molecule virtually identical to cocaine, except that the linking chain is one carbon longer. This species also has a history of use as an expectorant. END QUOTE What species is that Erythroxylum, and what is the alkaloid of interest, Is this plant in circulation. Any info on habitat, plant description, photos? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest reville Posted April 12, 2000 the guy who said he may be able to find seeds is geoff crowther of earthseed, i have enquired again so hold off on contacting him and ill post any reply on the board, just to prevent an overload of enquiries for later or for other species his contact is [email protected] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted April 18, 2000 I will put up a page on australian erythroxyum species in the next week or so as there have been so many enquiries. Geoff knows that I was looking for this seed, but I haven't been able to contact him by e-mail for several weeks. They just keep bouncing back to me. I will give him a ring. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
black Posted July 28, 2006 (edited) great work torstan your a living legand !!!!!!!! hey the berry could be the ultament stimulent berry bursting with active juices !!!!!!yumy someones gotta experament this one! Edited July 28, 2006 by black Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
withdrawl clinic Posted November 4, 2018 (edited) I also like this plant, and know of stands, 2h, or more, drive away from my home. I have collected, seed's, from other occurences (an other 90 min), and they germinated well (posted pics here on sab). they love to grow close to, never evaporating lil creeks... Edited November 4, 2018 by withdrawl clinic Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
