Medicinal Plants of Manu National Park

The most abundant or remarkable PLANTS species you may see in Manu.

	English Name	Scientific Name	Spanish Name	Medicinal and Useful plants
*	Amaryllidaceae
	Amazon lily	Eucharis castelnaeana	Lily	Ornamental plant
*	ANACARDIACEAE
	Cashew	Annacardium occidentale	Marañon	Edible fruit (vitamin C), to cure patient with diarrhea
	Plum	Spondias mombin	Ubos(ciruelo)	Edible fruit, bark to cure wounds and cuts
	Mango	Mangifera indica	Mango	Edible fruit, seed against rheumatism
*	ANNONACEAE
	Chirimoya	Annona species	Anona	Edible fruit
*	APIACEAE
	Coriander	Eryngium foetidum	Sacha culantro	It is used as a condiment to add a distinctive flavor for many dishes
*	ARACEAE
	Fer-de-lance tree	Dracontium loretense	Jergon-sacha	The potato to cure snake bites
	Elephant’s ear	Xanthosoma sagittifolium	Oreja de elefante	Huge leaves for ceremonies and lots of aerial roots
	Anthurium	Anthurium species		Ornamental Plant
	Dieffenbachia	Dieffenbachia sp.		Ornamental Plant
	Monstera	Monstera species		Ornamental Plant
	Philodendron	Philodendron species		Ornamental Plant
	Water lettuce	Pistia stratiotes	Lechuga de agua	Floating plant on Oxbow lakes
	Spathiphyllum	Spathiphyllum sp.		Common on forest floor
*	BEGONIACEAE
	Red begonia	Begonia veichii	Begonia roja	Ornamental Plant
	Pink begonia	Begonia bracteosa	Begonia rosada	Ornamental Plant
*	BIGNONIACEAE
	Calabash tree	Crescentia cujete	Huingo	Shell of fruit used as cup (natives),and make handicrafts
*	BIXACEAE
	Annatto	Bixa orellana	Achiote	Food coloring (sibarita), used by natives against bad spirits
*	BOMBACACEAE
	Kapok tree	Ceiba pentandra	Lupuna / ceiba	Cotton tree for plywood, sacred tree for Mayas and natives
	Balsa wood	Ochroma pyramidale	Topa	Trunks used to build rafts
	Sapote	Quararibea cordata	Sapote	Edible fruit, soft wood for pencils
*	BORAGINACEAE
		Cordia nodosa	Añallu capi	Symbiotic tree –ant-relationship
	BROMELIACEAE
	Pineapple	Ananas comosus	Piña	Edible fruit
*	CARICACEAE
	Papaya	Carica papaya	Papaya	Edible fruit
	Wild papaya	Jacaratia digitata	Papayita	Tree with thorns
*	CECROPIACEAE
	Umbrella tree	Cecropia species	Cetico	Pioneer tree, symbiotic relationship with Aztec ants
*	COMBRETACEAE
	Bottle brush	Combretum assimile	Delicia del emperador	Vine,important honey sourse for birds and small monkeys
*	COSTACEAE
	Candlestick	Costus scaber	Cañacaña	Treatment internal fever and bronchitis
*	COMPOSITAE
	Bobo tree	Tessaria integrifolia	Pajaro bobo	Pioneer tree on beaches; medicinal: kidneys
*	Convolvulaceae
	Sweet potato	Ipomoea batatas	Camote	Edible root
*	CYCLANTHACEAE
	Tamchi vine	Carludovica palmata	Tamiche	Very strong vines for construccion houses (natives)
*	Erythroxylaceae
	Coca leaf	Erythroxylum coca	Coca	Sacred plant
		Erythroxylum catuaba	Chuchuhuasi	Aphrodisiac
*	Euphorbiaceae
	Rubber tree	Hevea guianensis	Caucho (AWC)	Rubber
	Soap box tree	Hura crepitans	Catahua	Wood used to make boats
	Jungle potatoe	Manihot esculenta	Yuca	Important food plant (natives)
	Stonebreaker	Phyllanthus nururi	Chanca piedra	Remove kidney stones&gall stones
	Dragon’s blood	Croto lechleri	Sangre de grado	To cure deep cuts, help against certain types of cancer
*	FABACEAE
	Powder puff	Calliandra angustifolia	Bovinzana	Ornamental plant, root and bark against rheumatism
	Aguano	Cedrelinga catenaeformis	Aguano / Tornillo	Commercial wood
	Copaiba	Copaifera rebiculata	Copaiba	Oil from trunk as fuel and medicine
	Iron tree	Dipteryx micranta	Chihuahuaco	Forest giant, very hard wood
	Coral tree	Erythrina ulei	pisonay	Flowering red, honey source for birds and monkeys
	Icecream bean	Inga edulis	Pacay	Edible fruit
	Monkey ladder	Bauthinia guianensis	Escalera de mono	The stems are used to treat kidney deseases
	Milk tree	Lonchocarpus sp.	barbasco	Poison roods to fisch (natives)
	Mucuna	Mucuna rostrata	Vaca ñahui	Use as a diuretic
	Lacky seed	Ormisa sp.	Huayruro	Hard red-black berries fruits, for handycrafts
*	FITOLACACEAE
	Garlic tree	Gallesia integrifolia	Ajosquiro	Tree with smell of garlic.
*	HELICONIACEAE
	Heliconia sub.	Heliconia subulata	Heliconia	Ornamental plant
	Pink heliconia	Heliconia peduloides	Heliconia rosado	Ornamental plant
	Long-tongue	Heliconia lingulata	Lengua larga	Ornamental plant
	Bird-of-paradise	Heliconia rostrata	Heliconia-paraiso	Ornamental plant
	Heliconia epis.	Heliconia episcopalis	Heliconia	Ornamental plant
	Wild banana	Heliconia marginata	Platanillo	Ornamental plant
	Heliconia AWC	Heliconia stricta	Heliconia AWC	Ornamental plant
	Heliconia  AWC	Heliconia Hirsuta	Heliconia AWC	Ornamental plant
*	LAURACEAE
	Avocado	Persea americana	palta	Edible fruit,seed to treat dandruff
*	LECYTHIDACEAE
	Brazil nut tree	Bertholletia excelsa	Castaña	Edible fruit (calorie rich)
*	LOGANIACEAE
	Strychnine	Strychnos sp.	Curare	Poison for hunting (natives)medicin
*	Malpighiaceae
	Ayahuasca	Banisteriopsis caapi	Ayahuasca	important hallucinogenic for healing
*	Malvaceae
	Cotton	Gassypium sp.	Algodon	Cotton originated in Perú
	Hibiscus	Hibiscus peruvianus	Hibiscus	Ornamental plant
*	MARANTACEAE
	Bijao	Calathea capitata	Bijao	Famous leaves for juanes food
*	MELIACEAE
	Cedar tree	Cedrela odorata	Cedro	Commercial wood, used for boats
	Mahogany	Swietenia macrophylla	Caoba	Commercial wood, very expensive
		Guarea sp.	Requia	Commercial wood
*	Mimosaceae
	Sensitive plant	Mimosa pudica	No me toques	When touched leaves close
*	MORACEAE
	Rubber/shiringa	Castilla ulei	Caucho/shiringa	Rubber tree
		Clarisia racemosa	Mashonaste	Hard wood
	Fig	Ficus insipida	Oje	Sap to kill intestinal parasites
	Walking fig	Ficus trigona	Renaco	Rare tree
	Strangler fig	Ficus sp.	Matapalo	Sap to cure dislocation of body
	Breadfruit	Artocarpus altilis	Pan de árbol	Edible fruit
	Capinuri	Maquira coriacea	Capinurí	Phallic-shaped branches / plywood
*	MYRTACEAE
	Guava	Psidium guajave	Guayaba / Matos	Edible fruit anstrigent
*	ONAGRACEAE
	Fuchsia	Fuchsia boliviana	Fuchsia	Ornamental plant
*	POACEAE
	Ichu	Stipa ichu	Ichu	High altitude grass
	Cane brave	Gynerium sagittum	Caña brava	To make arrows and sticks for boats
	Bamboo	Guadua species	Bambú	As a water source, for point of arrows
	Lemon grass	Cymbopogon citratus	Hierba luisa	Essential oils are extracted and used commercially in perfumes and soaps
*	PALMAE/arecaceae
	Cloud forest palm	Geonoma helminthoclada	Palmiche	High elevations
	Fish-tailed palm	Geonoma deversa	Crisneja	For the roofs (natives)
	Belly palm	Iriartea deltoidea	Pona	Trunk has bulb as possible water deposit
	Pijuayo	Bactris gasipaes	Pijuayo	Edible fruit, heart of palm “palmito”, trunk for bows and points of arrows
	Moriche palm	Mauritia flexuosa	Aguaje	Fruits as juice and ice cream, “zuri” worms as delicious meals
	Ivory palm	Phytelephas macrocarpa	Yarina	Edible fruit, hard fruit as ivory, used to make jewelry
	Huicungo	Astrocaryum murumuru	Huicungo	With big needles, trunk holds for houses (natives)
	Acaí  / Asaí	Euterpe precatoria	Huasaí	Palm heart as salads, fruits as juice and ice cream
	Ungurave	Oenocarpus bataua	Ungurahui	Edible fruit, oil of fruits for eating and hair
	Sinamillo	Oenocarpus mapora	Sinamillo	Edible fruit
	Shapaja	Attalea phalerata	Shapaja	Edible fruit, leaves to build roofs
	Shebon	Attalea butyracea	Shebon	Edible fruit
	“Walking” palm	Socratea exorrrhiza	Cashapona	Many strong roots for more nutrients and stabilize
*	Passifloraceae
	Passion flower	Passiflora species	granadilla	Edible fruit
*	Piperaceae
	Santa maría	Piper elongatum	Matico / santa maría	Leaves to desinfectate wounds
	piperplant	Piper sp.	mocomoco	Against arthritis
*	Polygonaceae
	Saint tree	Triplaris americana	Tangarana / palo santo	Symbiotic relationship between the plant and fire ants,used as punishment
*	Pteridophyta
	Tree fern	Cyathea species	Sano sano	To cure deep cuts
	Horse tail	Equisetum	Cola de caballo	Medicinal: kidneys
*	Rosaceae
	Polylepis tree	Polylepis incana	Queuña	Native tree in the Andes
*	Rubiaceae
	Naked tree	Calycophyllum spruceanum	Capirona / palo calato	Barkshedding tree avoiding epiphytes
	Coffee	Coffea species	Café
	Genipap	Genipa amaricana	Huito	Used as black eye and insect repellent
	Hot lips	Psychotria poeppigiana	Labios seductores	Shrub with red lip-shaped flowers
	Cat’s claw	Uncaria guianensis	Uña de gato	Prevention of AIDS
	Cat’s claw	Uncaria tomentosa	Uña de gato	The alcoloids acts against inflammations, became famous as a medicine against AIDS
*	SALICACEAE
	Willow	Sailx humboldtiana	Sause	Very similar to European willow
*	SOLANACEAE
	Cocona	Solanum sessiliflorum	Cocona	High in Vitamin “C”
	Breast berry	Solanum mammosum	Cocona venenosa	Ulcers caused by leishmaniasis
	Angel’s trumpet	Brugmansia arborea	Floripondio / toe	Very important hallucinogenic plant for healing
	Tabacco	Nicotiana sp.	Tabaco
	Chilli	Capsium frutescens	Aji	Hot pepper, the smoke from burning fruits to Get away bad spirits from the house
*	STERCULIACEAE
	Chocolate tree	Theobroma cacao	Cacao	Theobroma means “food of  gods”
*	TILIACEAE
	Monkey’s comb	Apeiba membranacea	Peine de mono	Food for macaws and monkeys
*	Zingiberaceae
	Ginger	Zingiber officinale	Kion	Cultivated plant