Pelecyphora aselliformis. Epithelantha micromeris. Jump up ^ [1] Preserving Ancient Knowledge. C. cpacta is believ t be the Tarahuara híkuri knwn as "bakánawa. " Bakánawa, like st híkuri, is bth respect anear as a gd, and cnsider t have a sul and huan etins. It has been recrd as bth re pwerful, and as nly secnd in pwer, t L. sii. T se ppulatins f Tarahuara, particularly thse f Guadalupe, it is (was) their priary híkuri, being valu instead f L. sii. It is held that if ne keeps bakánawa in their pssessin exceing three years it will cnvert fr a gd icine t an evil ne that causes insanity, therefre ne ust sell it r hide it after the third year.
Of interest are speculatins by Thrd-Gray that this belief ay have riginat thrugh a shaan s "that he ight sell re f the plant. " C. cpacta is a pwerful icinal panacea and is asticat and appli t the bdy t cure all iaginable ills. Sacred and Medicinal Cacti: Peyote, San Pedro and other Ethnopharma. All rights reserved.
Not to be printed or copied and distributed for personal, commercial, and/or financial gain, in print or electronically, without the expressed written consent of the author. The present edition is authorized for use only by The Cactus and Succulent Plant Mall at All correspondence can be directed to: Michael S. Smith at msscacti@yahoo.com Cover photo: Trichocereus peruvianus Michael S. For my wife, JLS, for her eternal patience. Disclaimer The following material is for informational and educational purposes only. Acknowledgements I would like to sincerely thank all those individuals who have taken the time to assist me in this endeavor by offering their informative knowledge, comments, thoughts, and suggestions; they are many, this is the product.
Table of Contents Introduction Introduction Though many cactus species are known as forms of peyote not all have a recorded history of ethnobotanical use. Michael S. March 8, 2002 The Cactaceae. Peyote. Lophophora williamsii /loʊˈfɒfərə wɪlˈjæmsiaɪ/ is a small, spineless cactus with psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline.[2] The Spanish common name, also used in English, is peyote[3] (/pəˈjoʊti/; from the Nahuatl word peyōtl [ˈpejoːt͡ɬ]), which means "glisten" or "glistening".[4] [5] Native North Americans are likely to have used peyote, often for spiritual purposes for at least 5,500 years.[6] Peyote is native to southwestern Texas and Mexico.
It is found primarily in the Chihuahuan desert and in the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi among scrub, especially where there is limestone. Description[edit] Lophophora williamsii with small, red fruit The various species of the genus Lophophora grow low to the ground and they often form groups with numerous, crowded shoots.
Lophophora williamsii seedling at roughly 1 1/2 months of age The cactus produces flowers sporadically; these are followed by small edible pink fruit. Lophophora williamsii (peyote) Dr. Echinopsis peruviana. Echinopsis peruviana (syn. Trichocereus peruvianus), Peruvian Torch cactus, is a fast-growing columnar cactus native to the western slope of the Andes in Peru, between about 2,000–3,000 m (6,600–9,800 ft) above sea level. It contains the psychoactive alkaloid mescaline as well as other alkaloids. Description[edit] The plant is bluish-green in colour, with frosted stems, and 6-9 broadly rounded ribs; it has large, white flowers. It can grow up to 3–6 meters tall, with stems up to 8–18 cm in diameter; it is fully erect to begin with, but later possibly arching over, or even becoming prostrate.
Groups of 6-8 honey-coloured to brown rigid spines, up to 4 cm in length, with most about 1 cm, are located at the nodes, which are evenly spaced along the ribs, up to approximately 2.5 cm apart. Variant[edit] Taxonomy[edit] Subspecies[edit] Echinopsis peruviana ssp. puquiensis (Rauh & Backeb.) Varieties[edit] Some varieties, with scientifically invalid names, of Echinopsis peruviana are: KK242 vs. Echinopsis macrogona. Echinopsis lageniformis. Echinopsis lageniformis (syn. Trichocereus bridgesii), Bolivian torch cactus, is a fast-growing columnar cactus from the high deserts of Bolivia. Among the indigenous populations of Bolivia, it is sometimes called achuma or wachuma, although these names are also applied to related species such as Echinopsis pachanoi which are also used for their psychedelic effects.[1] The plant is a light green colour and usually has four to eight ribs.
It can grow 2–5 m tall with stems of up to 15–20 cm in diameter. There exist several mutant varieties of this species that are highly prized by ornamental cactus collectors. Chemistry[edit] The plant contains a number of psychoactive alkaloids, in particular the well-studied chemical mescaline, which it may contain at levels higher than those of the San Pedro cactus. Cultivars[edit] The monstrose form of Echinopsis lageniformis is known as the penis plant or penis cactus. Gallery[edit] See also[edit] Psychedelic plants References[edit] Echinopsis scopulicola. Echinopsis scopulicola is a type of cactus native to Bolivia, which contains psychedelic compounds. Many claim this species contains mescaline, which was until recently unconfirmed due to the lack of official research, but a study published in July 2010 by the International Society for Ethnopharmacology placed it in the top third of the results for their samples.
This included 14 taxa/cultivars of the subgenus Trichocereus of the genus Echinopsis, with Scopulicola noted to contain 0.82% mescaline/dry weight in the outer green layer. Names[edit] This cactus is synonymous with Trichocereus scopulicola, and its scientific name is Echinopsis scopulicola. Plant Description[edit] This cactus grows 3–4 meters tall, and 8–10 cm in diameter, and is also noted for its unusually short spines. References[edit] Echinopsis pachanoi. Echinopsis pachanoi (syn. Trichocereus pachanoi) — known as San Pedro cactus — is a fast-growing columnar cactus native to the Andes Mountains at 2,000–3,000 m (6,600–9,800 ft) in altitude.[1][2] It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru,[3] and it is cultivated in other parts of the world.
Uses for it include traditional medicine and traditional veterinary medicine, and it is widely grown as an ornamental cactus. It has been used for healing and religious divination in the Andes Mountains region for over 3,000 years.[4] It is sometimes confused with its close relative, Echinopsis peruviana (Peruvian torch cactus). Nomenclature[edit] Echinopsis pachanoi is known by many names throughout South America such as Achuma, Huachuma, Wachuma, Aguacolla, Hahuacollay, or Giganton.
Description[edit] Echinopsis pachanoi is native to Ecuador and Peru. Traditional uses[edit] Hordenine, an alkaloid found in Echinopsis pachanoi Alkaloids[edit] San Pedro cactus sliced up to be brewed. Opuntia basilaris. Opuntia basilaris, the Beavertail Cactus, is a cactus species found in southwest United States. It occurs mostly in the Mojave Desert, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and Colorado Deserts, and also in the Colorado Plateau and northwest Mexico; it ranges through the Grand Canyon and Colorado River region to southern Utah, and in western Arizona, regions along the Lower Colorado River Valley.
The Beavertail Cactus is a medium-sized to small prickly pear cactus, depending on variety, growing to about 60 cm tall. A single plant may consist of hundreds of fleshy, flattened pads. These are more or less blue-gray, depending on variety, growing to a length of 14 cm and are maximum 10 cm wide and 1 to 1.5 cm thick. Some experts consider the Trelease's Beavertail to be a full species (Bowen 1987, R. van de Hoek). Chemistry[edit] Opuntia basilaris contains 0.01% mescaline and 4-hydroxy-3-5-dimethoxyphenethylamine.[1] Gallery[edit] Yellow Beavertail Cactus flower in full bloom References[edit]