Dwarf Pepper

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The Shuar of the Ecuadoran rain forest use this

epiphytic, tropical pepper plant as a "mild
hallucinogen." Parents given newborns who are
just a few days old leaves that they have chewed.
Older children are given the plant so that they may
find their dream souls (arutam) (cf. Brugmansia
suaveolens, Nicotiana tabacum) (Bennett 1992,
492 f.*). The leaves apparently are also used as an
ayahuasca additive.
Several Peperomia species contain alkaloids
(Schultes and Raffauf 1990*). Peperomia galioides
H.B.K., which is known in Peru as piri-piri,335 is
added to the San Pedro drink (cf. Trichocereus
pachanoi) to lend the psychoactive effects "more
clarity, brightness, and distinctness" (Giese 1989,
252*).
In Trinidad, the dried leaves of Peperomia
emarginella (Sw.) C. DC. are smoked for asthma.
The essential oil has antispasmodic effects (Wong
1976, 114*).