Editing Erythroxylum coca (section)

==Description==
The coca plant resembles a [[blackthorn]] bush, and grows to a height of {{convert|2|–|3|m|ft|abbr=on|sigfig=1}}. The branches are straight, and the leaves, which have a green tint, are thin, opaque, oval, and taper at the extremities. A marked characteristic of the leaf is an areolated portion bounded by two longitudinal curved lines, one line on each side of the midrib, and more conspicuous on the underside of the leaf. Coca plants are mainly found in Colombia. 

The flowers are small, and disposed in little clusters on short stalks; the [[corolla (botany)|corolla]] is composed of five yellowish-white [[petal]]s, the [[anther]]s are heart-shaped, and the [[pistil]] consists of three [[carpel]]s united to form a three-chambered [[ovary (botany)|ovary]]. The flowers mature into red [[Berry (botany)|berries]].

Unlike ''Erythroxylum novogranatense'', ''Erythroxylum coca'' requires very acidic soil conditions. Soil acidity and water acidity need to be below [[pH]] 5.5, with the optimal value being pH 3.5, similar to that of ''[[Rhododendron]]'' [[potting soil]]s. At pH 6.5 and above, [[chlorosis]] and leaf distortion occur.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Johnson |first1=Emanuel L. |last2=Campbell |first2=T. Austin |last3=Foy |first3=Charles D. |title=Effect of soil pH on mineral element concentrations of two erythroxylum species |journal=Journal of Plant Nutrition |date=November 1997 |volume=20 |issue=11 |pages=1503–1515 |doi=10.1080/01904169709365352}}</ref>

The leaves are sometimes eaten by the [[larva]]e of the [[moth]] ''[[Eloria noyesi]]''.

Of the two cultivated species of coca, ''Erythroxylum coca'' has greater resistance to the use of glyphosate as an herbicide than ''Erythroxylum novogranatense''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ferreira |first1=Jorge F. S. |last2=Smeda |first2=Reid J. |last3=Duke |first3=Stephen O. |title=Control of Coca Plants (Erythroxylum coca and E. novogranatense) with Glyphosate |journal=Weed Science |date=August 1997 |volume=45 |issue=4 |pages=551–556 |doi=10.1017/S0043174500088809}}</ref>