Coca Del Suri

Synonyms [formerly also referred to as Retanilla ephedra (Vent.) Brogn. This plant, which can grow up to 10 cm in height, is found only in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile-the driest desert in the world-where the local oasis dwellers know it as coquilla, "little coca:' or coca del suri, "coca of the suri bird." Until recently, the whitish, downy leaves were chewed either alone or together with llipta as a coca substitute (see Erythroxylum coca). The inconspicuous plant is used as a source of nourishment by the ostrichlike cursorial birds known as suri. A tea of the leaves is used as a treatment for altitude sickness (puna) (Aldunate et al. 1981,218*). Chewing the leaves produces a slight sensation of numbness in the mouth. A mild psychoactivity (cocalike stimulation) was also observed. Smoking the dried leaves (a good dosage is 0.3 g) produces clear psychoactive effects that are initially somewhat narcotic and then more stimulating. The effects are similar to those produced from smoking dried coca leaves (see Erythroxylum coca). Chemical studies are lacking.