Morning Glory

Species: Ipomoea violacea

Family: Convolvulaceae

Summary: The morning glory plant is in the family Convolvulaceae, which it

shares with other plants such as the sweet potato and the Mary bean. The

morning glory plant that I am most interested in is the Ipomoea Violacea or

Ipomoea tricolor. The Zapotec Indians of South America call this plant

Tlitliltzen and they use its seeds to contact the deities in their

religious rituals. Another morning glory associated with the Ipomoea

tricolor is the Turbina corymbosa. In the villages of Oaxaca, the Mazatec

Indians use this plant in the same ways as the Ipomoea tricolor is used.

These plants were used in these Indian religious rituals because the

contain alkaloids that have psychoactive effects. The major mind altering

alkaloid in the Ipomoea tricolor is d-lysergic acid amide, also known as

natural LSD. The discovery of this and other natural ergot alkaloids has

led to the discovery of a far more potent psychedelic know as d-lysergic

acid diethyl amide, or LSD. Many attempts have been made to eradicate this

species of morning glory from the lands of these indigionous people and

have failed. The seeds of the Ipomoea violaceae are still in use by the

many Indian tribes in Oaxaca for various religious rituals.

I. Convolvulaceae Family

A. Sweet Potato

C. Morning Glory

II. Ipomoea violacea

B. History and Religious usage

C. Turbina or Rivea Corymbosa aka” “ololiuhqui”

III. Erogolines and Other Alkaloids Present

IV. Research and Usage Today

A. Development of LSD

B. Mazatec and Zapotec Indians

V. Research Links