Re: Paullina sp.? (help?)

Quoting from an old book: "The Treasury of Botany" 1876 [abridged]
With the exception of 1 West African sp, the whole of this large genus
of Sapindaceae, about 80 species, comes from the tropical regions of
the Western hemisphere..  Nearly all climbing shrubs with tendrils,
divided compound leaves and racemes of white flowers with two opposite
tendrils below them

Flowers - 5 sepals either distinct or two united.  Fruit is pear-shaped
which splits open when ripe and contains only one seed

P sorbilis: from the seeds the tribes of Indians on the Amazon prepare
hard cakes which are traded  and carried into all parts of Brazil,
where a cooling drink is made from them.  Ripe seeds are pounded into a
powder, made into a dough with water, formed into cylindrical rolls, 5
to 8 inches long.   The cake becomes very hard when dry.  The beverage
is made by grating 1/2 a tablespoonful into a glass of sugar and
water.   It is greatly used by Brazilian miners and is considered to be
a preventive of all manner of diseases.
The book says that it has an ingredient that is the same as the theine
of TEA  The amount of theine in the Paullinia is 5.07 pc as compared to
tea, which yields 2.13 and coffee from 0.8 to 1.00

So, Sean, perhaps you should buy the plant

If you are considering a trip to Brazil over the Christmas break, here
is how you can ward of all tropical disorders:
In your pocket you carry the cakes and a palate-bone or the scale of a
large fish, the rough surface providing a rasp to grate your G seeds.
Add to water and you will always have a refreshing drink with you that
i very agreeable

And now for the important part:
"P Cupana also enters into the composition of a favourite diet-drink;
its seeds are mingled with cassava and water, and allowed to pass into
a state of fermentation bordering on the putrefactive, in which state
it is the favourite drink of the Orinoco Indians
Christmas Cheers!!!  Gay




Gay Klok Tasmania

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