Galbulimima belgraveana
Galbulimima belgraveana (common names agara, white magnolia, pigeonberry ash) is a tropical rainforest tree found in northeastern Australia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea. It can grow up to about 27 meters tall. The bark is grey-brown, aromatic, and about 1 cm thick. Leaves are elliptic, 11–15 cm long and 5–7 cm wide; young leaves are rusty-felted, while mature leaves are glossy green on top and brown-felted beneath. The yellowish flowers have no petals or sepals, but many petaloid stamens protrude from a rusty-brown calyx. The fruit is reddish, fleshy, and about 2 cm in diameter.
The tree contains many alkaloids (more than 40 have been found), including himbacine and GB18, but the exact hallucinogenic component has not been identified. The wood is also used.
In Papua New Guinea, bark and leaves are sometimes prepared with other plants to make a psychoactive preparation, either as a tea or by chewing. One well-known account describes Ogia, who chewed agara bark along with other plant materials, producing intense intoxication, agitation, and later sleep with visions. Researchers note that multiple substances and their interactions likely contributed to these effects.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 03:37 (CET).