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The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications'' details an account of some psychoactive species of Rhodedendrons:
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="50%">The asset live in the mountains of the northern


Caucasus and are thought to be later descendants
<blockquote>


of the ancient Scythians. The Oriental scholar
The Osset live in the mountains of the northern Caucasus and are thought to be later descendants of the ancient Scythians. The Oriental scholar Julius Klaproth visited the Osset during the nineteenth century and returned with a description of a divination ritual in which the Caucasus rhododendron (whether the botanical identification is correct remains open) was used as a psychoactive incense (Klaproth 1823,2:223 f.): He described their ardent devotion to the prophet Elias, who was regarded as their greatest protector. In caves consecrated to him, they [the Osset] offered goats and consumed their flesh; after which they spread the skins out under a large tree and honored these in a special fashion on the prophet's feast day so that he would keep away the hail and grant them a bountiful harvest. The Osset would often go to these caves to inebriate themselves on the smoke of Rhododendron caucasicum, which would cause them to sleep deeply. The dreams that appeared to them under these circumstances were interpreted as prophecies. (Ginzburg 1990, 165) The Caucasus rhododendron (section Pontica) is a broad bush that grows to only about 1 meter in height. The flowers are creamy or pale yellow, sometimes with pink spots. The plant typically blooms from April to May and is found primarily at an altitude between 1,800 and 2,700 meters. It is found across northeastern Turkey and the Caucasus Mountains (Cox 1985, 175). Its evergreen leaves are weakly aromatic. Rhododendron caucasicum is only rarely encountered in rhododendron gardens, for it is much more difficult to cultivate than are other species.


Julius Klaproth visited the asset during the
In Nepal, the closely related Rhododendron lepidotum is still used today as a ritual and shamanic incense, the effects of which are very subtle. In Tibet and China, other rhododendron species are also used as incense. The yellow-flowered Rhododendron cinnabarinum is found in the high mountains of Sikkim.
Its smoke is said to have a profound effect on yaks, producing a strong inebriation and altering their behavior. It is possible that it also has psychoactive effects upon humans.
In Nepal, the leaves of a Rhododendron species are mixed with tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) for smoking. A snuff is made from the bark of a Rhododendron species and tobacco leaves.


nineteenth century and returned with a description
Other rhododendron species, e.g., the rustyleaved alpine rose (Rhododendron ferrugineum 1.) and the Pontic rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum 1.), yield psychoactive/toxic honey.


of a divination ritual in which the
The Tartars made a tea from the leaves (ten or more) of the gold-yellow alpine rose (Rhododendron chrysanthum) that is said to have produced a state of inebriation (Roth et al 1994, 612*). There is also a cultivar, Rhododendron x sochadzeae, resulting from a cross between R. ponticum and R. caucasicum (Cox 1985, 175 f.). This rare ornamental variety may have potent psychoactive effects.


Caucasus rhododendron (whether the botanical identification is correct remains open) was used as
The aromatic species of rhododendron contain relatively high concentrations of essential oil. Mongolian species contain primarily limonene, aromadendrene, caryophyllene, d-candinene, r3selinene, and gurjunene (Satar 1985).


a psychoactive incense (Klaproth 1823,2:223 f.):
It is would be an interesting task to investigate a possible cultural link between rhododendron forests and psilocybin mushrooms. Rhododendron groves are a preferred habitat of some psychoactive mushrooms, e.g., Psilocybe cyanescens.


He described their ardent devotion to the
</blockquote>
 
prophet Elias, who was regarded as their
 
greatest protector. In caves consecrated to
 
him, they [the Osset] offered goats and
 
consumed their flesh; after which they spread
 
the skins out under a large tree and honored
 
these in a special fashion on the prophet's feast
 
day so that he would keep away the hail and
 
grant them a bountiful harvest. The Osset
 
would often go to these caves to inebriate
 
themselves on the smoke of Rhododendron
 
caucasicum, which would cause them to sleep
 
deeply. The dreams that appeared to them
 
under these circumstances were interpreted as
 
prophecies. (Ginzburg 1990, 165)
 
The Caucasus rhododendron (section Pontica)
 
is a broad bush that grows to only about 1 meter in
 
height. The flowers are creamy or pale yellow,
 
sometimes with pink spots. The plant typically
 
blooms from April to May and is found primarily
 
at an altitude between 1,800 and 2,700 meters. It is
 
found across northeastern Turkey and the
 
Caucasus Mountains (Cox 1985, 175). Its evergreen
 
leaves are weakly aromatic. Rhododendron
 
caucasicum is only rarely encountered in rhododendron
 
gardens, for it is much more difficult to
 
cultivate than are other species.
 
In Nepal, the closely related Rhododendron
 
lepidotum WalL ex Donn (in two forms: var. album
 
Davidian and var. minutiforme Davidian; cf. Cox
 
1985, 113 f.) is still used today as a ritual and
 
shamanic incense, the effects of which are very
 
subtle (see incense). In Tibet and China, other
 
rhododendron species are also used as incense.
 
The yellow-flowered Rhododendron cinnabarinum
 
Hook f. is found in the high mountains of Sikkim.
 
Its smoke is said to have a profound effect on yaks,
 
producing a strong inebriation and altering their
 
behavior. It is possible that it also has psychoactive
 
effects upon humans.
 
In Nepal, the leaves of a Rhododendron species
 
are mixed with tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) for
 
smoking. A snuff is made from the bark of a Rhododendron
 
species and tobacco leaves (Hartwich
 
1911, 108*).
 
Other rhododendron species, e.g., the rustyleaved
 
alpine rose (Rhododendron ferrugineum 1.)
 
and the Pontic rhododendron (Rhododendron
 
ponticum 1.), yield a psychoactive/toxic honey.
 
The Tartars made a tea from the leaves (ten or
 
more) of the gold-yellow alpine rose (Rhododendron
 
chrysanthum PalL [sm. Rhododendron
 
officinale Salisb., Rhododendron aureum Georg])
 
that is said to have produced a state of inebriation
 
(Roth et al 1994, 612*). There is also a cultivar,
 
Rhododendron x sochadzeae, resulting from a cross between R. ponticum and R. caucasicum (Cox
 
1985, 175 f.). This rare ornamental variety may
 
have potent psychoactive effects.
 
The aromatic species of rhododendron contain
 
relatively high concentrations of essential oil.
 
Mongolian species contain primarily limonene,
 
aromadendrene, caryophyllene, d-candinene, r3selinene,
 
and gurjunene (Satar 1985).
 
It is would be an interesting task to investigate
 
a possible cultural link between rhododendron
 
forests and psilocybin mushrooms. Rhododendron
 
groves are a preferred habitiat of some psychoactive
 
mushrooms, e.g., Psilocybe cyanescens.</td>
<td valign="top" width="53%"><strong>Literature</strong>
 
Cox, Peter A. 1985. The smaller rhododendrons.
 
Portland, Ore.: Timber Press.
 
Ginzburg, Carlo. 1990. Hexensabbat. Berlin:
 
Wagenbach.
 
Klaproth, Julius. 1823. Voyage au Mont Caucase et en
 
Georgie. 2 vols. Paris.
 
Satar, S. 1985. Analyse der atherischen Ole aus drei
 
Rhododendron-Arten der Mongolischen
 
Volksrepublik. Pharmazie 40 (6): 432.</td>
</tr>
</table>


[[Category:Ethnobotanical]]
[[Category:Ethnobotanical]]

Latest revision as of 19:26, 5 September 2016

The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications details an account of some psychoactive species of Rhodedendrons:

The Osset live in the mountains of the northern Caucasus and are thought to be later descendants of the ancient Scythians. The Oriental scholar Julius Klaproth visited the Osset during the nineteenth century and returned with a description of a divination ritual in which the Caucasus rhododendron (whether the botanical identification is correct remains open) was used as a psychoactive incense (Klaproth 1823,2:223 f.): He described their ardent devotion to the prophet Elias, who was regarded as their greatest protector. In caves consecrated to him, they [the Osset] offered goats and consumed their flesh; after which they spread the skins out under a large tree and honored these in a special fashion on the prophet's feast day so that he would keep away the hail and grant them a bountiful harvest. The Osset would often go to these caves to inebriate themselves on the smoke of Rhododendron caucasicum, which would cause them to sleep deeply. The dreams that appeared to them under these circumstances were interpreted as prophecies. (Ginzburg 1990, 165) The Caucasus rhododendron (section Pontica) is a broad bush that grows to only about 1 meter in height. The flowers are creamy or pale yellow, sometimes with pink spots. The plant typically blooms from April to May and is found primarily at an altitude between 1,800 and 2,700 meters. It is found across northeastern Turkey and the Caucasus Mountains (Cox 1985, 175). Its evergreen leaves are weakly aromatic. Rhododendron caucasicum is only rarely encountered in rhododendron gardens, for it is much more difficult to cultivate than are other species.

In Nepal, the closely related Rhododendron lepidotum is still used today as a ritual and shamanic incense, the effects of which are very subtle. In Tibet and China, other rhododendron species are also used as incense. The yellow-flowered Rhododendron cinnabarinum is found in the high mountains of Sikkim. Its smoke is said to have a profound effect on yaks, producing a strong inebriation and altering their behavior. It is possible that it also has psychoactive effects upon humans. In Nepal, the leaves of a Rhododendron species are mixed with tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) for smoking. A snuff is made from the bark of a Rhododendron species and tobacco leaves.

Other rhododendron species, e.g., the rustyleaved alpine rose (Rhododendron ferrugineum 1.) and the Pontic rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum 1.), yield psychoactive/toxic honey.

The Tartars made a tea from the leaves (ten or more) of the gold-yellow alpine rose (Rhododendron chrysanthum) that is said to have produced a state of inebriation (Roth et al 1994, 612*). There is also a cultivar, Rhododendron x sochadzeae, resulting from a cross between R. ponticum and R. caucasicum (Cox 1985, 175 f.). This rare ornamental variety may have potent psychoactive effects.

The aromatic species of rhododendron contain relatively high concentrations of essential oil. Mongolian species contain primarily limonene, aromadendrene, caryophyllene, d-candinene, r3selinene, and gurjunene (Satar 1985).

It is would be an interesting task to investigate a possible cultural link between rhododendron forests and psilocybin mushrooms. Rhododendron groves are a preferred habitat of some psychoactive mushrooms, e.g., Psilocybe cyanescens.