Psychotria viridis is a perennial shrub in the coffee family Rubiaceae, known as chacruna, chacrona, or chaqruy in Quechua languages. It is native to the Amazon rainforest and a close relative of Psychotria carthagenensis.
The plant serves as a primary ingredient in ayahuasca, a ceremonial decoction with a long history among Indigenous Amazonian peoples, who regard it as a “plant teacher” for its entheogenic properties—its capacity to facilitate spiritual connection. The shrub’s leaves contain compounds that work in combination with other plants in the ayahuasca preparation, forming part of a tradition that has been maintained across generations in communities throughout the Amazon basin.
