its ease of vegetative propagation. In contrast to the Andean E. coca var. coca, Amazonian E. coca var. ipadu is typically a weaker plant evidenced by the fact that after a few years plants lose their vigor and easily fall prey to disease or insect infestation. Overharvesting can speed up this process. Amazonian coca is prepared differently than the other three cultivated cocas. After fire-toasting the leaves dry, they are pulverized. Once sifted, the powder is combined with ashes from plants which serve as the necessary alkaline admixture for coca chewing. See also Coca alkaloids References Citations Sources Turner C. E., Elsohly M. A., Hanuš L., Elsohly H. N. Isolation of dihydrocuscohygrine from Peruvian coca leaves. Phytochemistry 20 (6), 1403-1405 (1981) History of Coca. The Divine Plant of the Incas by W. Golden Mortimer, M.D. 576 pp. And/Or Press San Francisco, 1974. This title has no ISBN. External links Coca leaf: Myths and Reality website of the Transnational Institute (TNI) Unscheduling the coca leaf, UN Drug Control website of the Transnational Institute (TNI) Coca leaf news page – Alcohol and Drugs History Society Erythroxylum coca flower closeup coca Flora of the Andes Flora of the Amazon Flora of western South America Crops originating from the Americas Medicinal plants of South America Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Coca Bolivian culture