Voacanga of the Dogbane Family
Aka Voacanga of Tropical Africa
Location: Africa, Mostly in Tropical Regions
Voacanga comes from the Dogbane family and is an evergreen shrub with many branches. The flowers are usually yellow, sometimes white. Usually there are five petals, all united and two accompanying fruits, which are symmetrical. There is a rich content of indole alkaloid, including voacamine and ibogaine.
Voacanga has not had much research, but it has much folklore and traditional hearsay of use that indicates it has been employed as a poison for arrow tips, a powerful aphrodisiac, a stimulant, and a hallucinogen. Depending upon the preparation, the herb is a highly versatile, psychoactive plant. It is very commonly used by African magicians and shaman to produce visions and for other ceremonial purposes.
