Erowid Coca Vault : Botany

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Coca Botany
Erythroxylum coca

Cocaine is found in the leaves of the Erythroxylon coca plant.
The cocaine content of the leaves ranges from O.1% to 0.9%.
Coca plants grown at higher altitudes contain a higher percentage of the cocaine alkaloid than those grown at lower altitudes and are consequently more potent.
Chewing coca leaves counters the symptoms of 'mountain sickness' and oxygen-deprivation.