Herborist Selection

What this category lists

All three products carry the Herborist label: a kraft-paper pouch with the plant name in English and Latin and a short tag for the form, such as "[seeds]" or "[extract 10x]". The pages describe the plants and the packs only. Where a label leaves something out, such as the country of origin, we leave it out too.

Products and sizes

The extract label prints "10x" but names no plant part, solvent or method, so none is given here. For Caapi Red the plant part has not been confirmed, and the table says so.

Two plants from two families

Peganum harmala was named by Linnaeus in 1753. The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) places it in the Nitrariaceae, while the GBIF backbone uses Tetradiclidaceae. Its native range runs from the Mediterranean to Mongolia and India. English names include Syrian rue, African rue and harmal. Despite the name, it is not closely related to common rue, Ruta graveolens, which belongs to the citrus family, Rutaceae.

Banisteriopsis muricata belongs to the Malpighiaceae. Kew describes it as a climbing shrub of the seasonally dry tropics, native from Mexico and Central America to Paraguay and northern Argentina. It is a separate species from Banisteriopsis caapi, a climber of the wet tropics; "Caapi Red" is the name printed on the Herborist label.

Related categories

More Syrian rue, including powdered seeds from Pakistan, is listed under Syrian Rue. Two further listings of Banisteriopsis muricata, shredded vine from Napo in Peru and from Ecuador, sit with the caapi vine and leaves under Banisteriopsis caapi.

Packaging and delivery

All products are sold strictly as collectible or souvenir items. Mycotrop prepares orders on business days and ships them in neutral outer packaging that does not describe the contents. When tracking is available, the link is emailed after dispatch. Many international deliveries arrive within 3 to 15 business days after dispatch; this is an estimate only. The full terms are on Delivery, Tracking & Returns.

Frequently asked questions

Are the seeds and the extract from the same plant?

Yes. Both labels name Peganum harmala. The seeds are sold whole; the extract is a fine reddish-brown powder.

Why do Kew and GBIF give different families for Peganum harmala?

The two checklists use different family classifications. The WCVP, compiled at Kew, places the species in the Nitrariaceae; the GBIF backbone uses Tetradiclidaceae. Both accept the same species name, Peganum harmala L., and this page follows the WCVP.

Who described Banisteriopsis muricata?

Cavanilles described the species as Banisteria muricata. Cuatrecasas moved it to the genus Banisteriopsis in 1958, which is why the full name reads Banisteriopsis muricata (Cav.) Cuatrec.

Which pack sizes are available?

The seeds and the extract come in 50 g, 250 g or 1 kg; Caapi Red in 100 g, 250 g or 1 kg.

Where do the products come from?

The labels state no country of origin. The ranges given on this page are where the species grow naturally, according to Kew, not where a batch was harvested.