Virola

Virola is a genus of flowering plants in the nutmeg family, Myristicaceae. It includes medium-sized trees native to rainforests of the tropical Americas, ranging from southern Mexico to Bolivia and southern Brazil.^[1] Species are known commonly as epená, patricá, or cumala. They have glossy, dark green leaves and clusters of tiny yellow flowers, and may emit a pungent odor.

Virola
Canopy of Virola koschnyi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Magnoliids
Order:	Magnoliales
Family:	Myristicaceae
Genus:	Virola Aubl. (1775)
Species[1]
71; see text

Traditional use

Several species of this genus have been used to create hallucinogenic snuff powders.^[2]

Chemical constituents

The tops of Virola oleifera have been shown to produce lignan-7-ols and verrucosin that have antifungal action regarding Cladosporium sphaerospermum in doses as low as 25 micrograms. Lignan-7-ols oleiferin-B and oleiferin-G worked for Cladosporium cladosporioides starting as low as 10 micrograms.^[3]

Species

71 species are accepted.^[1]

• Virola aequatorialis Muriel & Balslev
• Virola aguarunana D.Santam.
• Virola albidiflora Ducke
• Virola allenii D.Santam. & Aguilar
• Virola alvaroperezii D.Santam.
• Virola amistadensis D.Santam.
• Virola bicuhyba (Schott) Warb.
• Virola bombuscaroensis D.Santam.
• Virola caducifolia W.A.Rodrigues
• Virola calimensis D.Santam.
• Virola calophylla (Spruce) Warb.^[4]
• Virola calophylloidea Markgr.
• Virola carinata (Spruce ex Benth.) Warb.
• Virola chrysocarpa D.Santam. & Aguilar
• Virola coelhoi W.A.Rodrigues
• Virola cogolloi D.Santam.
• Virola crebrinervia Ducke
• Virola cumala D.Santam.
• Virola cuspidata (Benth.) Warb.
• Virola decorticans Ducke
• Virola divergens Ducke
• Virola dixonii Little
• Virola duckei A.C.Sm.
• Virola elongata (Benth.) Warb.
• Virola flexuosa A.C.Sm.
• Virola fosteri D.Santam.
• Virola gardneri (A.DC.) Warb.
• Virola guatemalensis (Hemsl.) Warb.
• Virola guggenheimii W.A.Rodrigues
• Virola koschnyi Warb.
• Virola kwatae Sabatier
• Virola laevigata Standl.
• Virola lieneana Paula & E.P.Heringer
• Virola loretensis A.C.Sm.
• Virola macrocarpa A.C.Sm.
• Virola malmei A.C.Sm.
• Virola marleneae W.A.Rodrigues
• Virola megacarpa A.H.Gentry
• Virola michelii Heckel
• Virola micrantha A.C.Sm.
• Virola minutiflora Ducke
• Virola mollissima (Poepp. ex A.DC.) Warb.
• Virola montana D.Santam.
• Virola multicostata Ducke
• Virola multiflora (Standl.) A.C.Sm.
• Virola multinervia Ducke
• Virola nobilis A.C.Sm.
• Virola obovata Ducke
• Virola officinalis Warb.
• Virola otobifolia D.Santam.
• Virola parkeri D.Santam. & Lagom.
• Virola parvifolia Ducke
• Virola pavonis (A.DC.) A.C.Sm.
• Virola peruviana (A.DC.) Warb.
• Virola polyneura W.A.Rodrigues
• Virola reidii Little
• Virola rugulosa (Spruce) Warb.
• Virola sanguinea D.Santam.
• Virola schultesii A.C.Sm.
• Virola sebifera Aubl.
• Virola sessilis (A.DC.) Warb.
• Virola steyermarkii W.A.Rodrigues
• Virola subsessilis (Benth.) Warb.
• Virola surinamensis (Rol. ex Rottb.) Warb.
• Virola theiodora (Spruce ex Benth.) Warb. (synonym Virola rufula Warb.)
• Virola tuckerae D.Santam. & Lagom.
• Virola urbaniana Warb.
• Virola venosa (Benth.) Warb.
• Virola villosa (Benth.) Warb.
• Virola weberbaueri Markgr.
• Virola yasuniana D.Santam.

Gallery

• 
  Virola elongata fruit
• 
  Virola elongata seeds
• 
  Virola carinata embryo
• 
  Virola sebifera
• 
  Virola surinamensis

Legal status

United States

Louisiana

Except for ornamental purposes, growing, selling or possessing Virola spp. is prohibited by Louisiana State Act 159.

See also

• Myristica — some species of this genus have been reclassified into Virola.
• Ayahuasca
• Entheogen
• Psychedelic plants