Mexican Horse Chestnut

It has been suggested that the seeds (sometimes called Texas buckeyes) of this small tree were once used for psychoactive purposes in northern Mexico and Texas (Schultes and Hofmann 1992, 59*). The black seeds, which are 1.5 cm in length, have been found in archaeological contexts together with peyote (Lophophora williamsii) and mescal beans (Sophora secundiflora) (Adovasio and Fry 1976*). Ungnadia seeds contain cyanogenetic compounds (Seigler et al. 1971).

Literature Seigler, D., F. Seaman, and T. ]. Mabry. 1971. New cyanogenetic lipids from Ungnadia speciosa. Phytochemistry 10:485-87.