The uses of medicinal and magical plan ts by the Shamans of northern Peru are reported. Medicinal plants are widely used in the treatment of numerous human diseases and are often the sole available remedies. We have not reponed species for which we could provide no botanical identification. The people themselves recognize the plants and drugs used in traditional therapy according to their own long-held criteria. Even the toxicity of the species is well known, the dosage being prescribed very carefully and the medicinal species being handled only by the "curandero". Only a few species used in the treatment of minor ailments are commonly used and grown by the uninitiated. Some food plants have been reported as being used for medicinal and magical purposes. The Euphorbiaceae, the Solanaceae and the Asteraceae are the families £i'omwhich the largest number of the species used in traditional medicine are drawn. Many ancient indigenous beliefs regarding magical plants 21 combine with ritual elements of European origin. The chief of these plants are species with psychotropic activity and those of the Solanaceae family.