MundoAndino Home : Andes Chile Guide at Mundo Andino
Lobelia tupa
Lobelia tupa is a species of Lobelia native to central Chile from Valparaiso south to Los Lagos regions.Flora Chilena: Lobelia tupa
It is an evergreen perennial plant growing to 4 m tall. The foliage grey-green, with elliptical leaves 1015 cm long. The flowers are red, trumpet-shaped, produced in a sympodium pattern. It is, and thrives in dry soils.
Its latex is used as an abortifacient, and a hallucinogen, which may explain one of its common names, Tabaco del Diablo (Devil's tobacco), ironically this plant has been used as a counter effect herb on nicotine addiction because of alkaloid Lobeline, a nicotinic agonist. The Mapuche Indians of Southern Chile consider it a sacred plant. Tupa leaves have also been found to contain chemicals that act as a respiratory stimulant.Plants for a Future: Lobelia tupa
Need more information for your travel research or homework?
Ask your questions at the forum about Flora of Chile or help others to find answers.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Lobelia tupa
