Canyi

Synonyms Pentandria monogynia 1., Gamopetalae nuculiferae Endl.] The three species of the genus Metteniusa in Colombia thrive primarily in cloud forests. These trees bear large fruits (Gentry 1993, 474f.*). The genus constitutes its own family but is also assigned to the families Alangiaceae and Icacinaceae (Brako and Zarucchi 1993, 573*). Karsten has even seen a certain resemblance to the Convolvulaceae: The fruit and seed formation of this treewhose bitter-tasting seeds are a not unimportant source of nourishment for the tribe of Arguaco Indians who inhabit the peaks of the mountains of St. Marta-isolate it from its natural relatives, the Cordiceae and the Asperifoliae. (Karsten 1858, 1:80) In the Sierra Madre de Santa Marta, the tree is known as canyi. It is said to have ritual significance for the Kogi of Colombia.333 The priests (mamas) attribute strong psychoactive effects to the tree's chestnutlike fruits (Reichel-Dolmatoff 1977, 285*). Whether this plant truly is psychoactive is questionable, for it is eaten as a food in Venezuela, albeit after having been cooked (Lozano-C. and Lozano 1988,26). Another species, Metteniusa tessmanniana (Sleumer) Sleumer [syn. AveZedoa tessmanniana Sleumer], is found in Peru (Brako and Zarucchi 1993,573*).

Literature Karsten, Hermann. 1858-61. Florae Columbiae, I. Berlin. Lozano-C., Gustavo, and Nulia B. de Lozano. 1988. Metteniusaceae. Vol. 11 of Flora de Colombia. Bogota: Universidad de Colombia.