The term SOUTH AMERICAN PLANT refers to three plants native to South America: OCA (Oxalis tuberosa), COCA (Erythroxylum COCA), and CACTUS (Cactaceae). OCA is a root vegetable that has been cultivated in the Andes for centuries. COCA is a shrub that is native to the western slopes of the Andes and is the source of cocaine. CACTUS is a family of succulent plants that are adapted to arid and semi-arid climates, and are found throughout South America.