Overview of Ayahuasca Vine Nomenclature and Taxonomy

[SnozzleBerry]

After coming across this page (which dreamer042 mentioned a while ago) I thought it would be worthwhile to create a homepage of sorts for ayahuasca vines, especially given all of the confusion between Linnean and indigenous classifications and nomenclature.

Here is the list presented from the Spirit Quest web page, with edits to reflect my nomenclatural research.

Yellow = accepted name
Red = synonym/misspelling
Orange = more information needed

1. Banisteriopsis caapi
2. B. ceduciflora >>> B. caduciflora
3. B. cornifolia >>> B. wurdackii
4. B. cristata
5. B. heterostyla
6. B. inebrians >>> B. caapi
7. B. laevifolia
8. B. leiocarpa
9. B. leptocarpa >>> B. martiniana >>> B. elegans or B. grandifolia
10. B. longialata
11. B. lucida >>> Diplopterys lucida
12. B. martiniana >>> B. elegans or B. grandifolia
13. B. muricata
14. B. nigrescens
15. B. nutans
16. B. oxyclada
17. B. padifolia
18. B. peruviana >>> Diplopterys peruviana
19. B. pubipetata >>> B. pubipetala >>> Diplopterys pubipetala
20. B. quitensis >>> B. caapi
21. B. rusbyana >>> Diplopterys cabrerana

The following list is a list of accepted names for ayahuasca vines (and some known and potential admixtures that appear to have been miscategorized due to nomenclatural confusion) based on nomenclatural research through Tropicos. All names that are currently being explored in other NCRP threads have been linked to their associated threads.

Names that have not been fully resolved have been omitted and will be added as further research warrants. At the present moment, I am assuming that all Diplopterys spp. are admixtures, rather than vines, due to the few well-known species filling this role.

Vines
Alicia anisopetala
Alicia macrodisca
Banisteriopsis caapi
B. caduciflora
B. cristata
B. heterostyla
B. laevifolia
B. leiocarpa
B. longialata
B. muricata
B. nigrescens
B. nutans
B. oxyclada
B. padifolia
B. wurdackii
Tetrapterys methystica


Admixtures
Diplopterys cabrerana
Diplopterys lucida
Diplopterys peruviana
Diplopterys pubipetala

 

[SnozzleBerry]

Resolved issues

11. B. lucida >>> B. lucida or Diplopterys lucida

According to the 2006 paper by Anderson and Davis, Diplopterys lucida is presented as the new combination for this plant, with Banisteriopsis lucida as the basionym. This means this plant has been moved to the genus Diplopterys and will be considered an admixture plant unless evidence to the contrary can be found.

Remaining issues

9. B. leptocarpa >>> B. martiniana >>> B. elegans or B. grandifolia
12. B. martiniana >>> B. elegans or B. grandifolia

The nice thing about these two remaining issues is that B. leptocarpa is a synonym of B. martiniana, so there is really only one piece of the puzzle that needs to be figured out with regards to both of these entries; whether B. martiana is B. elegans or B. grandifolia.

I looked through some of the cited literature this evening, but it is not clear and a few of the citations appear to be referring to varietals (and only as synonyms) rather than the full species. It seems like this one will take a little digging. If anyone has any info on it, I'd be very grateful for the input