Bushman applying Pancrotium bulb to scalp incisions.
KWASH I (Pancratium trianthum) is considered to be psychoactive by the Bushmen in Dobe, Botswana. The bulb of this perennial is reputedly rubbed over incisions in the head to induce visua l hallucinations. Nothing is known of its chemical constitution . Of the 14 other spe足 cies of Pancratium, mainly of Asia and Africa, many are known to contain psychoactive principles, mostly alkaloids. Some species are potent cardiac poisons. Pancratium belongs to the amaryllis family, Amaryll idaceae. GA LANGA o r MARABA (Kaempferia galanga) is an herb rich in essential oils. Natives in New Guinea eat the rhizome of the plant as an hallucinogen. It is va lued locally a s a cond iment and, like others of the 70 species in the genus, it is used in local folk medicine to bring boi ls to a head and to hasten the healing of burns and wounds. It is a member of the ginger fam i ly, Zingi足 beraceae. Phytochem ical stud ies have revea led no psychoactive principle. 29