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These plants, funghi and insect illustrations
are part of my botanical oracle deck

Erythroxylum coca | Coca Plant

Botanical Overview:

  • Family: Erythroxylaceae

  • Common Names: Coca, Cuca, Coca Leaf

  • Plant Type: Evergreen shrub

  • Native Range: Andes Mountains in South America, particularly Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia

  • Key Identifiers:

    • Small, green, ovate leaves with a distinctive line running parallel to the midrib

    • Small yellowish-white flowers

    • Produces red berries as fruit


Properties:

  • Active Compounds: Cocaine alkaloids (e.g., benzoylecgonine), flavonoids, tannins, and essential oils

  • Pharmacological Actions: Stimulant, appetite suppressant, analgesic, and anesthetic (in concentrated form)

  • Flavor Profile: Mildly bitter and astringent


Distribution and Habitat:

  • Thrives in tropical and subtropical climates with high altitudes (500–2,000 meters above sea level)

  • Grows best in well-drained, slightly acidic soils and in shaded environments

  • Cultivated in the Andes for thousands of years


Medicinal Uses:

  • Traditional Uses:

    • Used by Indigenous peoples of the Andes to combat altitude sickness, fatigue, and hunger

    • Leaves are chewed or brewed into tea to provide a mild stimulant effect and alleviate headaches

    • Used as an analgesic for minor aches and pains

  • Modern Context:

    • Cocaine, derived from coca leaves, has medical applications as a local anesthetic (e.g., in nasal and ophthalmic surgeries), but its use is strictly regulated


Psychoactive Properties and Effects:

  • Psychoactive Nature:

    • Coca leaves contain mild stimulants when chewed or consumed as tea, increasing energy, focus, and endurance

    • Effects include heightened alertness, reduced appetite, and mood elevation

    • In its natural form, the psychoactive effects are far milder and safer than the concentrated and processed cocaine alkaloid

  • Not Psychedelic: Does not cause hallucinations or alter perception in a psychedelic sense


Magical Correspondences and Uses:

  • Element: Earth

  • Planetary Association: Mercury

  • Magical Uses:

    • Revered as a sacred plant in Andean spiritual traditions, used in rituals and offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth)

    • Symbolizes communication, healing, and connection to the divine

    • Used in divination by shamans, who interpret patterns in coca leaves during ceremonies

    • Chewing coca leaves is seen as a way to honor ancestors and connect with spiritual wisdom


Folklore and Mythology:

  • In Andean mythology, coca is considered a divine gift from the gods to help people endure the harsh conditions of high altitudes.

  • The plant is sacred to Pachamama, and offerings of coca leaves are made to ask for blessings and protection.

  • Spanish colonizers initially tried to suppress the use of coca, but they later adopted it to sustain Indigenous laborers in mines.

  • Coca leaves remain central to traditional Andean ceremonies, symbolizing respect, gratitude, and spiritual connection.

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