Un árbol llamado “rey de la selva”, etnobotánica y aspectos ecológicos, amazonia ecuatoriana.

Sumario: This article gives ethnobotanic and ecological information about small native species trees that live in the Ecuadorian Amazonian known commonly in various names, among them the most frequent «King of the jungle», «farm of the devil», the scientific name is Duroia hirsuta (Poepp. & Endl.) Schum., of the Rubiaceae family. The information was gotten through several sources:  ethnobotany literature, review of specimens that were deposited in the Quito herbarium (National-QCNE and Alfredo Paredes-QAP), research in field books of the article’s author. D. hirsute. It is a species with many vernacular names in all Amazonian nationalities, it presents several applications like: food and medicinal benefits, as well as the beliefs and indigenous interpretations with respect to the characteristic of the plant to live in relationship with ants