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đŸ„‡ Amazon Rainforest Plants: 1001 species, names, photos and uses!

Main species of trees and edible plants. Medicinal, poisonous and ritual plants.

The Amazon Rainforest Plantae Kingdom is vast and full of extraordinary species. In the southamerican jungle we find from poisonous deadly species to fruits with super powers, going through medicinal plants and some others entheogenic used by the shamans in their rituals to connect with the other world.

Index

Amazon Rainforest Plants Facts

From the 18th century to the present day, natural scientists have taken up the task of inventorying the jungle , registering extensive lists of plant and animal species (flora and fauna). Among these, more than 5 thousand species are mentioned.

The species of the Amazon Rainforest Plants have been classified according to their use as shown below:

  • medicinal plants ,
  • Toxic or poisonous : such as curare , which is used for hunting , and barbasco , which is used for fishing .
  • Trees : they are not only timber (used to build houses or boats) but also medicinal, healing, aphrodisiac and even some which bark is edible. For instance:
    • Timber : charapilla ( Dipteryx odorata ), cumala ( Virola sp .), pot of monkey ( Lecythis pisonis ), cedar ( Cedrela odarata ), mahogany, rosewood and oak are also common.
    • Medicinal: Algarrobo (Hymenea courbaril), Chitato, MajagĂŒito (Muntingia calabura), Clove (Syzygium aromaticum, Eugenia caryophillus), Chuchuhuasa (Maytenus macrocarpa, M. laevis)
    • Aphrodisiacs : Cumaceba ( Swartzia polyphylla ), HuacapĂș ( Minquartia guianensis ), and Isula Huayo ( Siparuna guianensis )
    • Mythological : The Ceiba or Kapok ( Ceiba pentranda )
    • Fruit trees : for whose importance we dedicate a separate section within this article.
    • A separate mention deserves the rubber tree whose exploitation caused so much havoc in the indigenous peoples or tribes of the Amazon .
  • Plants that serve as a dye: such as achiote ( Bixa orellana ), and jagua ( Genipa americana )
  • Additionally, among the species of the flora of the Amazon we also find those that are used to create utensils .

October 5, 2019

Medicinal plants of the Amazon Rainforest

Rafael Cartay

A list of 12 medicinal plants from the Amazon: achiote, cat’s claw, sacha garlic, cariaquito, bittersweet, bubinzana, elderberry, holy herb, achira, caigua, airampu, cocon

October 5, 2019

Amazon Rainforest Poisonous Plants

Rafael Cartay

The two main poisons of the Amazon are barbasco, which is used for fishing, and curare, which is used for hunting and also to treat some conditions.

Food species of the Amazonian Plants

Among the food plants, fruit trees stand out.

Amazonian fruits have incredible nutritional potential, they are a source of vitamins, carbohydrates and even proteins.

Some have medicinal properties and many of them are processed and sold in capsules as vitamin supplements today.

November 25, 2019

Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa)

Rafael Cartay

All about Brazil Nut: description, ecology, propagation and processing, culinary and agro-industrial uses, medicinal uses, cures cancer!

One of these promising fruits is the Brazil Nut , whose use could be the key to ending activities that are harmful to the forest.

Among these activities we can mention deforestation (due to the illegal logging industry), mining, monocultures and cattle ranching, to name a few.

On the other hand, although it is true that almost any fruit is medicinal, because by containing vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, fibers and nutrients they serve as preventive medicine, on the other hand there are some fruits that have specific healing properties for certain conditions, they are called medicinal fruits .

The palms of the Amazon

Palms form a very special group in the Amazonian plant kingdom. Some have nicknamed them “princes” others have gone further comparing them to the Tree of Life.

Among them stands out the buriti, moriche or aguaje whose scientific name is Mauritia Flexuosa.

This palm, so common in tropical landscapes, has a long list of uses. The Amazonian indigenous peoples of the different regions have found a number of applications for its trunk, its fruit (drupe) and its leaves. Its existence is closely linked to the environmental balance of the forest .

Master plants or ritual plants

Today an Amazonian plant used by shamans has become very common throughout the world, it is ayahuasca .

This is usually combined with others such as chacruna or guayusa depending on the desired effect.

It has been the subject of a number of scientific studies that have identified its psychoactive substances, effects, benefits and benefits.

Medicinal species of the Amazonian flora

August 29, 2020

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The Ayahuasca Failure Part II

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A true story, the subsequent sensations, the perceived changes, and their influence on the appreciation of the world.

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Big-Ass ants (Atta laevigata)

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This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)

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