Why Phyllodium pullchellum is by far the best candidate for the Vedic Soma

Vedic Soma identity is argued to be the Desmodium genus, with Phyllodium pullchellum presented as the strongest candidate, possibly alongside Desmodium gangeticum as an admixture. The piece claims Phyllodium can be prepared as a tea that the author finds psychoactive, including reports of visionary effects, strong nausea and vomiting, and a golden-tawny drink color that the author links to Vedic descriptions (including the meaning of “hari”). It also frames the plant’s reported psychoactivity as potentially connected to tryptamines and beta-carbolines, including references to DMT and 5-MeO-DMT in the Desmodium genus and to research on beta-carbolines and MAO inhibition. Practical and ethnobotanical details are included, such as the author’s harvesting and storage observations, seasonal/flowering effects on potency, and the suggestion that fermentation could help preserve qualities. The argument also compares competing Soma candidates like Amanita, Syrian rue, cannabis, and ephedra, concluding they do not match the reported Soma effects as well as Phyllodium.