Erythroxylum novogranatense

Erythroxylum novogranatense, from Latin: novo = new, granatense = Granada (named this way by William Turner Thiselton-Dyer, the third director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, because of the country of origin, New Granada [now Colombia]), is a neotropical species of Erythroxylum (Erythroxylaceae).

It contains 2 subspecies, i.e. Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense (D.Morris) Hieron and Erythroxylum novogranatense var. truxillense (Rusby) Plowman. These two subspecies are phenotypically similar, but morphologically distinguishable.

The basic physical difference between E.coca and E.novogranatense is that the E.coca (sometimes called E.bolivianum) has larger leaves that are elliptical, oval and broader near the middle (broad-elliptic) and darker green color above. The E.novogranatense has smaller, narrower leaves, broadest near the apex (oblong-obovate), and bright green color above. To identify E. novogranatense var. novogranatense from E.novogranatense var.truxillense: The leaves of E.novogranatense var.truxillense does not possess parallel lines either side of the central vein like all other varieties.

Ecology
E.novogranatense is a highland variety that is utilized in lowland areas. It is cultivated in drier regions in South America. However, E.novogranatense is very adaptable to varying ecological conditions, and grows well in both humid and dry areas, and at low and higher altitudes. In Java (Indonesia), E.novogranatense has been cultivated from sea-level to 1000 m altitude, with best results at 400–600 m. In controlled environment studies, the optimum average daily temperature for leave growth for E.novogranatense var.novogranatense was found to be around 27 C (80.6 F), whereas leaf growth was generally higher at photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) of 250 or 400 micromol per meter square per second than at 155 micromol per meter square per second. Environmental effects on the cocaine concentration in the leaves were smaller, so that total cocaine production per plant was largely a function of leaf mass, with environmental conditions that stimulated leaf growth giving higher cocaine yields. Both species grow on soils with low pH, and a greenhouse study has shown that the optimum pH for biomass accumulation of E.novogranatense is between 4.7 - 6.0.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythroxylum_novogranatense
See Also: bunga, toko bunga, bunga papan