Guaco
Encyclopedia
Gauco, huaco, or guao, also vejuco and bejuco are terms applied to various vine-like Central and South American, and West Indian climbing plants, reputed to have curative powers.
Native Americans
and Colombia
ns believe that the guaco was named after a species of kite
, in imitation of its cry, which they say it uses to attract the snakes which it feeds on. Tradition says that the plant's powers as an antidote were discovered through watching the bird eat the leaves, and even spread the juice on its wings, before attacking the snakes.
Any twining plant with a heart-shaped leaf, white and green above and purple beneath, is called a guaco by Native Americans (R. Spruce, in Howards Nueva Quinologia, Cinchona succirubra, p. 22, note), which does not necessarily coincide with which plants are "true" guacos, as far as naturalists are concerned.
What is most commonly recognized in Colombia as guaco, or Vejuco del guaco, would appear to be Mikania
guace (Humboldt and Bonpland, Fl. equinox. i~. 84, p1. 105, 1809), a climbing Composite
plant of the tribe Eupatorieae
, preferring moist and shady situations, and having a much-branched and deep-growing root, variegated
, serrated, opposite leaves and dull white flowers, in axillary clusters. The whole plant emits a disagreeable odour.
It is stated that the Central American natives, after taking guaco, catch with impunity the most dangerous snakes, which writhe in their hands as though touched by a hot iron (B. Seemanii Hookers Journ. of Bet. v. 76, 1853). The odour alone of guaco, has been said to cause, in snakes, a state of stupor; and Humboldt, who observed that proximity of a rod steeped in guaco-juice was obnoxious to the venomous Coluber
corallinus, was of opinion that inoculation with it gives perspiration an odour which makes reptiles unwilling to bite. The drug is not used in modern medicine.
In Brazil, Guaco (Mikania glomerata) is used as a medicinal tea.
Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
ns believe that the guaco was named after a species of kite
Kite (bird)
Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mainly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey.They are birds of prey which, along with hawks and eagles, are from the family Accipitridae....
, in imitation of its cry, which they say it uses to attract the snakes which it feeds on. Tradition says that the plant's powers as an antidote were discovered through watching the bird eat the leaves, and even spread the juice on its wings, before attacking the snakes.
Any twining plant with a heart-shaped leaf, white and green above and purple beneath, is called a guaco by Native Americans (R. Spruce, in Howards Nueva Quinologia, Cinchona succirubra, p. 22, note), which does not necessarily coincide with which plants are "true" guacos, as far as naturalists are concerned.
What is most commonly recognized in Colombia as guaco, or Vejuco del guaco, would appear to be Mikania
Mikania
Mikania is a genus of about 450 species in the family of Asteraceae.The name honors the Czech botanist Johann Christian Mikan. Members of the genus are stem twiners and lianas and are common in the neotropical flora. Mikania originates from South America...
guace (Humboldt and Bonpland, Fl. equinox. i~. 84, p1. 105, 1809), a climbing Composite
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
plant of the tribe Eupatorieae
Eupatorieae
Eupatorieae is a tribe of over 2000 species of plants in the aster family. Most of the species are native to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate areas of the Americas, but some are found elsewhere...
, preferring moist and shady situations, and having a much-branched and deep-growing root, variegated
Variegation
Variegation is the appearance of differently coloured zones in the leaves, and sometimes the stems, of plants. This may be due to a number of causes...
, serrated, opposite leaves and dull white flowers, in axillary clusters. The whole plant emits a disagreeable odour.
It is stated that the Central American natives, after taking guaco, catch with impunity the most dangerous snakes, which writhe in their hands as though touched by a hot iron (B. Seemanii Hookers Journ. of Bet. v. 76, 1853). The odour alone of guaco, has been said to cause, in snakes, a state of stupor; and Humboldt, who observed that proximity of a rod steeped in guaco-juice was obnoxious to the venomous Coluber
Coluber
Coluber is a genus of thin bodied, fast moving, colubrid snakes commonly known as racers. They are widespread around the world and vary greatly in habitat and behaviour. In the past, Coluber was a catch-all genus which included almost all snake species known at the time...
corallinus, was of opinion that inoculation with it gives perspiration an odour which makes reptiles unwilling to bite. The drug is not used in modern medicine.
In Brazil, Guaco (Mikania glomerata) is used as a medicinal tea.
- As its strong stems are also used for flagellation, the word bejuco also means whip.