 |
Banisteriopsis caapi 'Ourinhos'
|  Botanical name: Banisteriopsis caapi ‘Ourinhos’
Also known as: Ayahuasca vine, yagé, Vine of the Soul, Yellow caapi
Family name: Malpighiaceae
Natural habitat: Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia (the Amazon basin)
Ourinhos could be freely translated as Little Gold. The name, which is also a Brazilian city, was given to the B. caapi plant because of the golden coloration of the brew made with it. This is a very powerful strain used in most of the official ceremonies of the Santo Daime, União do Vegetal and Barquinha churches in Brazil. This strain is also referred to as 'Yellow caapi'.
In nature the B. caapi can only be found in Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and Colombia (the Amazon basin). This giant vine with long and woody stems is one of the most sacred ethnobotanicals from South America. Amazonian tribes consider the Banisteriopsis caapi as one of the master ‘Teacher Plants’. It is the main ingredient of the sacred indigeneous medicine ayahuasca. Both the plant and the medicine prepared with it are named ayahuasca or yagé in the Amazon.
Banisteriopsis caapi contains a high concentration of alkaloids. The main alkaloids are harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine. The leaves, stems and bark are all active, but for ayahuasca mainly the stems and bark are used. Banisteriopsis caapi consumed alone does not produce any effects (although sometimes dried pieces of bark and leaves are smoked); it has to be combined with a plant that contains DMT to become ayahuasca: an extremely powerful substance. DMT containing leaves are for example those of the Diplopterys cabrerana (chaliponga) or Psychotria viridis (chacruna).
There exists a large number of ayahuasca recipes, but they're not all documented. Each shaman has his/her own recipe and adds plants to the brew depending on availability and tribal tradition (for example tobacco, yopo, datura or brugmansia).
The Banisteriopsis caapi has a very long and woody stem with a lot of branches. The leaves are green and round-oval in shape. The Banisteriopsis caapi flowers rarely, but when it does it is in December or January. The plant is easily confused with its close relatives Banisteriopsis membranifolia and Banisteriopsis muricata. It is also often confused with the Diplopterys cabrerana vine (chaliponga); a frequently used ayahuasca additive. | | 
| |  Menu: Ayahuasca / Ayahuasca
|
|
|
