tarope

by Bella
(Bolivia)

Channel clogged with tarope plants

The tarope plant grows incredibly quickly in water (usually rivers, swamps and lakes) and needs absolutely no soil to take root and expand. It can clog rivers and channels by growing completely across them in a matter of just a couple of weeks.

During a recent trip to the Bolivia's Northern Department of Beni, where I took a river boat trip in search of pink river dolphins, we got stuck in a channel that was completely overgrown with tarope on our way to the Chuchini Eco Lodge. Because they are not rooted in soil, they float and we were able to push our way through them. However, the density of the tarope and it's weight, plus pushing them against the force of the water made this a very difficult job and we had to be rescued! Read more about my trip to Beni here.

Thanks to Quinn, a visitor to our site who asked for more information about this plant, here's what we found out about the tarope for you:

The tarope plant (Dorstenia brasiliensis Lam) is a medicinal plant. The root, when ground up, is locally applied to snake, insect and fanged animal bites. Smearing the ground root on bites keeps the poison from running and extending through the body, and is actually believed to extract the poison, especially if applied quickly.

Tarope is also made into juice and given to people orally against snakebites and some drops of the juice are also dripped onto the bite.

More information:

Physiological Effects.—Stimulant, tonic, and diaphoretic. Its operation is very analogous to that of serpentary root, between which and the rhizome of the sweet flag it deserves to be arranged. The root of the Dorstenia brasiliensis often proves emetic. http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/pereira/dorstenia.html

This article is from the BBC and tells about how Bolivians in Beni are using the ancient Moxos peoples' irrigation system of man-made hills (camellones) I wrote about in the Beni section of my site. It says: "The system uses natural fertilizers, and in particular an aquatic plant in the canals called tarope which both purifies the water and acts as a fertilizer when spread over the soil."

It's a really interesting article - apparently we may be going back to Pre-Colombian wisdom to find solutions for modern problems.

Thanks to Quinn for this information!