Coca Plant
Coca: Ancestral Plant and Contested SymbolMamma Coca Presenting the Divine Plant to the Old WorldCoca PlantCoca Varieties in South America

Coca Plant

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The coca plant, sacred to many indigenous Andean cultures, has been used for millennia in ritual, medicinal, and social contexts. Rich in alkaloids, its leaves relieve fatigue, suppress hunger, and aid in high-altitude adaptation. Coca remains central to cultural identity and traditional knowledge in the Andes.