Iresine

Various species of this genus are used in South

America as ayahuasca additiveas. Some species,

under the name cimora or timora, are added to San

Pedro drinks (see Trichocereus pachanoi). Iresine

species also are said to be the main ingredient or at

least one of the main ingredients in the mysterious

South American magical drink cimora (Ott 1993,

409*). Unfortunately, chemical studies are lacking.

Betacyanin has been detected in the herbage of

the Caribbean Iresine herbstii Hook. f. (Wong

1976, 119*).