Herb latin name: Coriaria microphylla


Synonyms: Coriaria ruscifolia microphylla, Coriaria thymifolia


Family: Coriariaceae



Medicinal use of Coriaria microphylla:

The fruits are hallucinogenic. When taken internally they provide sensations of flying.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
120 cm
(4 feet)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Steep cliffs or terraces in the Andes

Other uses of Coriaria microphylla:

A black ink is obtained from the leaves, it can also be used as a dye. The bark can also be used, it is rich in tannin. An effective ground cover plant, spreading by rhizomes to form a fern-like colony.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow February/March in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°C. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Fair percentage. Division in spring.

Cultivation of Coriaria microphylla:

Steep cliffs or terraces in the Andes

Known hazards of Coriaria microphylla:

The seed is poisonous. The plant is toxic to grazing mammals. Most, if not all members of this genus are poisonous, though it is said that the fruit is safe to eat.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.