Many

cacti A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...

are known to be

psychoactive A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, psychoactive agent or psychotropic drug is a chemical substance, that changes functions of the nervous system, and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition or behavior. Th ...

, containing

phenethylamine Phenethylamine (PEA) is an organic compound, natural monoamine alkaloid, and trace amine, which acts as a central nervous system stimulant in humans. In the brain, phenethylamine regulates monoamine neurotransmission by binding to trace amin ...

alkaloid Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...

s such as

mescaline Mescaline or mescalin (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine) is a naturally occurring psychedelic protoalkaloid of the substituted phenethylamine class, known for its hallucinogenic effects comparable to those of LSD and psilocybin. Biological sou ...

. However, the two main ritualistic (folkloric) genera are ''

Echinopsis ''Echinopsis'' is a large genus of cacti native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** ...

'', of which the most psychoactive species is the

San Pedro cactus ''Echinopsis pachanoi'' (syn. ''Trichocereus pachanoi'')—known as San Pedro cactus—is a fast-growing columnar cactus native to the Andes Mountains at in altitude. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, and ...

(''Echinopsis pachanoi'', syn. ''Trichocereus pachanoi''), and ''

Lophophora ''Lophophora'' () is a genus of spineless, button-like cacti. Its area range covers southern through northeastern and north-central Mexico to Querétaro in central Mexico. The species are extremely slow growing, sometimes taking up to thirty ye ...

'', with

peyote The peyote (; ''Lophophora williamsii'' ) is a small, spineless cactus which contains psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline. ''Peyote'' is a Spanish word derived from the Nahuatl (), meaning "caterpillar cocoon", from a root , "to gl ...

(''Lophophora williamsii'') being the most psychoactive species. Several other species pertaining to other genera are also psychoactive, though not always used with a ritualistic intent.

Species

Globular cacti

*''

Lophophora williamsii The peyote (; ''Lophophora williamsii'' ) is a small, spineless cactus which contains psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline. ''Peyote'' is a Spanish word derived from the Nahuatl (), meaning "caterpillar cocoon", from a root , "to gl ...

'' (peyote) Lophophora williamsii pm

Other "peyotes" *''

Ariocarpus fissuratus ''Ariocarpus fissuratus'' (formerly known as ''Anhalonium fissuratus'') is a species of cactus found in small numbers in northern Mexico and Texas in the United States. Common names include living rock cactus, false peyote, chautle, dry whiskey a ...

'' *''

Coryphantha ''Coryphantha'' (from Greek, "flowering on the top"), or beehive cactus, is a genus of small to middle-sized, globose or columnar cacti. The genus is native to arid parts of Central America, Mexico, through Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas ...

compacta'' (syn. ''C. palmeri'') *''

Pelecyphora ''Pelecyphora'' is a genus of cacti, comprising 2 species. They originate from Mexico. ''Pelecyphora'' is known for its medicinal properties and may have been utilized as a psychoactive in the same way as ''Lophophora williamsii''. It is know ...

aselliformis'' *''

strobiliformis'' *''

Lophophora diffusa ''Lophophora diffusa'', commonly known as false peyote, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae and one of the only two species in the Lophophora genus. It is endemic to Mexico in the outskirts of Querétaro. This species contains zero to ...

'' *''

Ariocarpus retusus ''Ariocarpus retusus'' is a species of cactus, from the genus ''Ariocarpus ''Ariocarpus'' is a small genus of succulent, subtropical plants of the family Cactaceae. The name comes from the ancient Greek "aria" (an oak type) and "carpos" (=f ...

'' *''

Ariocarpus agavoides ''Ariocarpus agavoides'' (known commonly as the Tamaulipas living rock cactus) is a species of cactus. It is endemic to Mexico. It grows in dry shrubland in rocky calcareous substrates. Description This cactus is a small rosette-shaped succulen ...

''; '' kotschoubeyanus''; and other species *''

Astrophytum asterias ''Astrophytum asterias'' is a species of cactus in the genus '' Astrophytum'', and is native to small parts of Texas in the United States and Mexico. Common names include sand dollar cactus, sea urchin cactus, star cactus and star peyote. Desc ...

''; '' capricorne''; '' myriostigma''; and other species *''

Aztekium ritteri ''Aztekium ritteri'' is a species of cactus, in the genus ''Aztekium''. It is one of the three species that make up the genus. The species originated in Mexico. Aztekium is a genus endemic to Mexico. In Mexico, Aztekium ritterii it is called ...

''; and other species *''Coryphantha elephantidens''; ''macromeris'' (var. ''runyonii''); ''palmeri''; and other species *''Echinocactus grandis''; '' grusonii''; '' platyacanthus''; ''visnaga''; and other species *''

Epithelantha micromeris ''Epithelantha micromeris'' is a button cactus in the genus '' Epithelantha'', found in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and northeast Mexico. It is characterized by its white-grey spines growing on a globular shaped stem. The density of its white ...

''; and other species *''Leuchtenbergia principis; and other species *''

'' species *''Mammillaria craigii''; ''grahamii'' (var. ''oliviae''); ''heyderi''; (''Dolichothele'') ''longimamma''; (''Solisia'') ''pectinifera''; (''Mamillopsis'') ''senilis''; ''sonorensis''; and other species *''Obregonia denegrii'' *''

Strombocactus disciformis ''Strombocactus disciformis'' is a rare species of cacti and the only species of the genus ''Strombocactus''. The plant originates from Central and Northeast Mexico. Description ''Strombocactus'' is a monotypic genus with a strong turnip-like ...

'' *''

Turbinicarpus laui ''Turbinicarpus laui'' is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitat is hot deserts. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is th ...

''; '' lophophoroides''; '' jauernigii''; '' (Pelecyphora) pseudopectinatus''; '' schmiedickeanus''; and other species

Other

Other North American psychoactive and/or medicinal cacti. *''Carnegiea gigantea'' *''Echinocereus salm-dyckianus'' (var. ''scheeri''); '' triglochidiatus''; and other species *''Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum''; ''pringlei''

Arborescent and columnar cacti

''Echinopsis''

*''

Echinopsis lageniformis ''Echinopsis lageniformis'' (syn. ''Trichocereus bridgesii''), the 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 ''w ...

'' (syn. ''Trichocereus bridgesii'') (Bolivian torch cactus) *'' Echinopsis macrogona'' (syn. ''Trichocereus macrogonus''), > 0.01-0.05% Mescaline *'' Echinopsis pasacana'' ssp. ''atacamensis'' *''

Echinopsis pachanoi ''Echinopsis pachanoi'' (syn. ''Trichocereus pachanoi'')—known as San Pedro cactus—is a fast-growing columnar cactus native to the Andes Mountains at in altitude. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, and it ...

'' (syn. ''Trichocereus pachanoi'') (San Pedro cactus) *''

Echinopsis peruviana ''Echinopsis peruviana'' (syn. ''Trichocereus peruvianus''), the Peruvian torch cactus, is a fast-growing columnar cactus native to the western slope of the Andes in Peru, between about above sea level. Description The plant is bluish-green i ...

'' (syn. ''Trichocereus peruvianus'') (Peruvian torch cactus) *''

Echinopsis scopulicola ''Echinopsis scopulicola'' is a type of cactus A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cact ...

'' (syn. ''Trichocereus scopulicolus''), 0.82% mescaline by dry weight in the outer green layer. *'' Echinopsis spachiana'' (syn. ''Trichocereus spachianus''), Mescaline; Mescaline *'' Echinopsis tacaquirensis'' subsp. ''taquimbalensis'' (syn. ''Trichocereus taquimbalensis''), > 0.005-0.025% mescaline *'' Echinopsis terscheckii'' (syn. ''Trichocereus terscheckii'', ''Trichocereus werdemannianus'') > 0.005-0.025% Mescaline; mescaline 0.01%-2.375%Forbidden Fruit Archives
* '' Echinopsis valida'' (syn. ''E. validus''), 0.025% mescaline *'' Echinopsis werdermannianus'' Flowering San Pedro cactus

Other

Other South American psychoactive and/or medicinal cacti * '' Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica'' (syn. ''Opuntia cylindrica''), Mescaline *''Armatocereus laetus'' *''

Browningia ''Browningia'' is a genus of cacti, comprising 11 accepted and 3 unresolved species. It is named for Webster E Browning (1869-1942), director of the Instituto Inglés, Santiago, Chile. Synonymy Synonyms of this genus are: *''Azureocereus'' Ak ...

'' spp. * ''

Cylindropuntia echinocarpa ''Cylindropuntia echinocarpa'' is a species of cactus known by the common names silver cholla, golden cholla, and Wiggins' cholla. It was formerly named ''Opuntia echinocarpa''.

'' (syn. ''Opuntia echinocarpa''), Mescaline 0.01%,

DMPEA DMPEA can refer to two subclasses of substituted phenethylamines: Dimethoxy-phenethylamines * 2,3-Dimethoxyphenethylamine * 2,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine * 2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine * 2,6-Dimethoxyphenethylamine * 3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine ...

0.01%, 4-hydroxy-3-5-dimethoxyphenethylamine 0.01% * '' Cylindropuntia spinosior'' (syn. ''Opuntia spinosior''), Mescaline 0.00004%, 3-methoxytyramine 0.001%,

tyramine Tyramine ( ) (also spelled tyramin), also known under several other names, is a naturally occurring trace amine derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Tyramine acts as a catecholamine releasing agent. Notably, it is unable to cross the blood-b ...

0.002%, 3-4-dimethoxyphenethylamine. *''Epostoa lanata'' *''Matucana madisoniorum'' *''Neoraimondia macrostibas'' *'' Opuntia acanthocarpa'' Mescaline *''

Opuntia basilaris ''Opuntia basilaris'', the beavertail cactus or beavertail pricklypear, is a cactus species found in the southwest United States. It occurs mostly in the Mojave, Anza-Borrego, and Colorado Deserts, as well as in the Colorado Plateau and northw ...

'' Mescaline 0.01%, plus 4-hydroxy-3-5-dimethoxyphenethylamine *''

Selenicereus grandiflorus ''Selenicereus grandiflorus'' is a cactus species originating from the Antilles, Mexico and Central America. The species is commonly referred to as queen of the night, night-blooming cereus (though these two terms are also used for other spec ...

'' *''Stetsonia coryne''

Ethnic Use

Several world regions have historically used psychoactive cacti for their properties, particularly Indigenous peoples from North America and South America, such as in Mexico and the Andes region. For this purpose (which includes commercial harvesting) cacti plants are specifically grown in the millions.

(peyote) is used by the

Native American Church The Native American Church (NAC), also known as Peyotism and Peyote Religion, is a Native American religion that teaches a combination of traditional Native American beliefs and Christianity, with sacramental use of the entheogen peyote. The re ...

(aka Peyotism).

Legality

References/Sources

External links

*
www.cactus-mall.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Psychoactive Cacti Entheogens Herbal and fungal hallucinogens Flora of the Chihuahuan Desert Flora of Texas Flora of New Mexico Flora of Northeastern Mexico Flora of the Rio Grande valleys Flora of Zacatecas Native American Church Native American religion Huichol Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Psychedelic phenethylamine carriers Cacti of the United States Cacti of Mexico

Species

Globular cacti

Other

Arborescent and columnar cacti

''Echinopsis''

Other

See also

Ethnic Use

Legality

References/Sources

External links