Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Significance of the fungus balansia cyperi infecting medicinal species of cyperus (Cyperaceae) from Amazonia

Importancia del hongo Balansia cyperi que infecta especies medicinales de Cyperus de Amazonía

Economic Botany volume 44, pages 452–462 (1990)Cite this article

Abstract

At least two species of Amazonian sedges (piripiri, i.e., Cyperus articulatus andC. prolixus, Cyperaceae) are widely utilized for various medicinal purposes, including birth control and induction of labor, and in hallucinogenic preparations. Examination of herbarium specimens collected from throughout South America and of living specimens collected in Ecuador has revealed that plants are infected by the systemic, ascomycetous fungusBalansia cyperi. This fungus is classified in the Clavicipitaceae and is known to infect only six species ofCyperus, including both North and South American species. Pure cultures of the fungus were obtained from two species of piripiri from Ecuador andC. virens from southern USA, and grown in submerged liquid culture. Extracts of the liquid medium revealed several unidentified ergot alkaloids. Current and past pharmacological uses of ergot alkaloids are consistent with uses of piripiri, suggesting a fungal basis for the ethnobotanical utilization of piripiri in Amazonia.

Résumé

Dos especies de Cyperus de Amazonía (Cyperus articulatus y Cyperus prolixus, Cyperaceae) tienen varios usos medicinales tales como anticonceptivos, inductores del parto, y alucinógenos. El examen de ejemplares de herbario colectados a través de Sudamérica y de plantas vivas colectadas en Ecuador ha demostrado que las plantas están infectadas por un hongo sistémico de la familia Clavicipitaceae (Ascomycetes):Balansia cyperi. La infección de este hongo se conoce únicamente en seis especies de Cyperus nativas de Norteamérica y de Sudamérica. Obtuvimos cultivos puros del hongo pertenecientes a dos especies de “piripiri” de Ecuador y deCyperus virens del sur de los Estados Unidos, los cuales fueron cultivados en medio liquido. Extractos del medio de cultivo revelaron varios alcaloides desconocidos del tipo ergot. Los usos medicinales actuates y pasados de estos alcaloides son consistentes con los usos del piripiri, lo que sugiere que el hongo es responsable del uso etnobotánico del piripiri en Amazonia.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Literature Cited

  • Bacon, C. W., J. K. Porter, and J. D. Robbins. 1979. Laboratory production of ergot alkaloids by species ofBalansia. J. Gen. Microbiol. 113:119–126.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —, P. C. Lyons, J. K. Porter, and J. D. Robbins. 1986. Ergot toxicity from endophyte-infected grasses: a review. Agron. J. 78:106–116.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bové, F. J. 1970. The story of ergot. Karger Verlag, Basel. Chaumeil, J. P. 1982. Représentation du monde d’un chamane Yagua. L’Ethnographie 87–88: 49–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, K. 1986a. Induced vivipary in the sedgeCyperus virens and the transmission of the fungusBalansia cyperi (Clavicipitaceae). Canad. J. Bot. 64:2984–2988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — 1986b. A new disease (Balansia cyperi) of purple nutsedge(Cyperus rotundus). Plant Dis. 70:597–599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —, T. N. Hardy, and A. M. Hammond, Jr. 1985. Fungal endophytes ofCyperus and their effect on an insect herbivore. Amer. J. Bot. 72:1284–1289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diehl, W. W. 1950.Balansia and the Balansiae in America. Agriculture Monograph U.S.D.A. 4.

  • Edgerton, C. W. 1919. A newBalansia onCyperus. Mycologia 11:259–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glenboski, L. L. 1983. The ethnobotany of the Tukuna Indians, Amazonas, Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales-Museo de Historia Natural, Biblioteca José Jerónimo Triana No. 4. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hern, W. M. 1976. Knowledge and use of herbal contraceptives in a Peruvian Amazon village. Human Organ. 35:9–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holm, L. G., D. L. Plucknett, J. V. Pancho, and J. G. Hergerger. 1977. The world’s worst weeds. Distribution and biology. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leuchtmann, A., and K. Clay. 1988a.Atkinsonella hypoxylon andBalansia cyperi, epiphytic members of the Balansiae. Mycologia 80:192–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —, and —. 1988b. Experimental infection of host grasses and sedges withAtkinsonella hypoxylon andBalansia cyperi (Balansiae, Clavicipitaceae). Mycologia 80:291–297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, W. H., and M. Elvin-Lewis. 1990. Obstetrical use of the parasitic fungusBalansia cyperi by Amazonian Jívaro women. Econ. Bot. 44:131–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, P. C, R. D. Plattner, and C. W. Bacon. 1986. Occurrence of peptide and clavine ergot alkaloids in tall fescue grass. Science 232:487–489.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mantle, P. G. 1969. The role of alkaloids in the poisoning of mammals by sclerotia ofClaviceps spp. J. Stored Prod. Res. 5:237–244.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —, S. Shaw, and D. A. Doling. 1977. Role of weed grasses in the etiology of ergot disease in wheat. Ann. Appl. Biol. 86:339–351.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell, N. 1972. Actitudes de cuatro tribus de la selva peruana respecto a plantas empleadas como anticonceptivos por vía oral. Pages 101-107in Proc. 39th Int. Congress Americanists.

  • Michelon, L. E., and W. J. Kelleher. 1963. The spectrophotometric determination of ergot alkaloids. A modified procedure employing paradimethylaminobenzaldehyde. Lloydia 26:192–201.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muthuri, F. M., and J. I. Kinyamario. 1989. Nutritive value of papyrus (Cyperus papyrus, Cyperaceae), a tropical emergent macrophyte. Econ. Bot. 43:23–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultes, R. E. n.d. The healing forest: medicinal and toxic plants of the Indians of Northwest Amazon. Dioscorides Press, Portland. OR. (In press.)

  • —, and A. Hoffmann. 1980. The botany and chemistry of hallucinogens. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, E. 1969. Thin-layer chromatography: a laboratory handbook. Springer Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steward, J. H., and A. Metraux. 1948. Tribes of the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Montana. Pages 535- 656in J. H. Steward, ed., Handbook of South American Indians, Vol. 3, Bur. Amer. Ethnol. Bull. 143.

  • Stovall, M. E., and K. Clay. 1988. The effect of the fungus,Balansia cyperi Edg., on growth and reproduction of purple nutsedge,Cyperus rotundus L. New Phytol. 109:351–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tessmann, G. 1930. Die Indianer Nordost-Perus. Friederichsen, de Gruyter, Hamburg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tournon, J., A. Raynal-Roques, and C. Zambettakis. 1986. Les Cyperacées medicinales et magiques de l’Ucayali. J. Agric. Trad. Bot. Appl. 35:213–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, G. C. 1983. The taxonomy ofCyperus (Cyperaceae) in Costa Rica and Panama. Syst. Bot. Monog. 2:1–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vickers, W. T., and T. Plowman. 1984. Useful plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of eastern Ecuador. Fieldiana Bot. 15:1–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waisbard, S.-R. 1958. Les Indiens Shipibo de l’Ucayali et du Tamaya. L’Ethnographie 53:19–74.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Field Museum of Natural History, 60605, Chicago, IL

    Timothy G. Plowman

  2. Department of Biology, Indiana University, 47405, Bloomington, IN

    Adrian Leuchtmann, Carol Blaney & Keith Clay

Authors
  1. Timothy G. Plowman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adrian Leuchtmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Carol Blaney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Keith Clay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Deceased 7 January 1989.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Plowman, T.G., Leuchtmann, A., Blaney, C. et al. Significance of the fungus balansia cyperi infecting medicinal species of cyperus (Cyperaceae) from Amazonia. Econ Bot 44, 452–462 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02859780

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02859780

Keywords

search

Navigation