Coca plant has been introduced thousands of years back and has historic
significance back to Andean times.
The earliest coca leaves were discovered in 2500-1800 BC, in Peru and
the natives of South America have been using coca from centuries back.
The domestic use of coca is extends over to Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador,
Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.
The plant is similar to a bush plant and grows to a height of 7-10 ft
tall.
The leaves are thin, opaque, and oval and have green tint. The branches
are long and erect.
The flowers are small, bears on short stalks in little clusters; these
flowers mature into red berries.
Coca is generally cultivated in lower altitudes of eastern slopes of
andes, peru, Bolivia, venezula and chile.
Coca plant flourishes best in damp, hot and humid conditions.
Leaves
Coca contains alkaloid cocaine which is the chief ingredient, other
includes methylecgoninecinnamate, benzoylecgonine, truxilline,
hydroxytropacocaine, tropacocaine, ecgonine, cuscohygrine,
dihydrocuscohygrine, nicotine and hygrine.