''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' (

synonyms A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...

including ''Trichocereus pachanoi'' and ''Echinopsis pachanoi'') is a fast-growing columnar

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 ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...

found in the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

at in altitude. It is one of a number of kinds of cacti known as San Pedro cactus. It is native to

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

and

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

, but also found in

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

and 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.

Description

''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' is native to Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. Its stems are light to dark green, sometimes

glaucous ''Glaucous'' (, ) is used to describe the pale grey or bluish-green appearance of the surfaces of some plants, as well as in the names of birds, such as the glaucous gull (''Larus hyperboreus''), glaucous-winged gull (''Larus glaucescens''), g ...

, with a diameter of and usually 6–8 ribs. The whitish areoles may produce up to seven yellow to brown spines, each up to long although typically shorter in cultivated varieties, sometimes being mostly spineless. The number and length of the spines is a feature that distinguishes ''T. macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' from var. ''macrogonus'', which may have up to 20 spines with three or four longer and more robust central ones up to long. The areoles are spaced evenly along the ribs, approximately apart. ''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' is normally tall and has multiple branches, usually extending from the base but will emerge around broken branches. The tallest recorded specimen was tall. White flowers are produced at the end of the stems; they open at night and last for about two days. Large numbers can be produced by well established cacti and may open new flowers over a period of weeks. The flowers are large, around long with a diameter of up to and are highly fragrant. There are black hairs along the length of the thick base leading to the flower. Oblong dark green fruits are produced after fertilization, about across and long, eventually bursting open to reveal a white flesh filled with small seeds.

Taxonomy

''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' was first described as the species ''Trichocereus pachanoi'' by Britton and Rose in 1920. As a species, it has also been placed in the genera '' Cereus'' and ''

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 ** ...

''. It was reduced to a variety of '' Trichocereus macrogonus'' in 2012. It can be distinguished from ''T. macrogonus'' var. ''macrogonus'' by the smaller number of spines per areole, and usually being somewhat shorter with more slender stems.

Traditional uses

''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' is known by many names throughout

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

such as ''achuma,'' ''huachuma,'' ''wachuma,'' ''aguacolla,'' ''hahuacollay,'' ''San Pedro'' or ''giganton''. It has a long history of being used in Andean

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

. Archaeological studies have found evidence of use going back two thousand years, to Moche culture,

Nazca culture The Nazca culture (also Nasca) was the archaeological culture that flourished from beside the arid, southern coast of Peru in the river valleys of the Rio Grande de Nazca drainage and the Ica Valley.''The Nasca'' by Helaine Silverman and Dona ...

, and Chavín culture. Although

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

church authorities after the Spanish conquest attempted to suppress its use, this failed, as shown by the Christian element in the common name "San Pedro cactus" –

Saint Peter Saint Peter; he, שמעון בר יונה, Šimʿōn bar Yōnāh; ar, سِمعَان بُطرُس, translit=Simʿa̅n Buṭrus; grc-gre, Πέτρος, Petros; cop, Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ, Petros; lat, Petrus; ar, شمعون الصفـا, Sham'un ...

cactus. The name is attributed to the belief that just as St Peter holds the keys to heaven, the effects of the cactus allow users "to reach heaven while still on earth." In 2022, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture declared the traditional use of San Pedro cactus in northern Peru as

cultural heritage Cultural heritage is the heritage of tangible and intangible heritage assets of a group or society that is inherited from past generations. Not all heritages of past generations are "heritage"; rather, heritage is a product of selection by soci ...

Alkaloids

''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' contains a number of

alkaloids 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 st ...

(especially cactus alkaloids), including the well-studied chemical

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 ...

(from 0.053% up to 4.7% of dry cactus weight), and also

3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine 3,4- Dimethoxy phenethylamine (DMPEA) is a chemical compound of the phenethylamine class. It is an analogue of the major human neurotransmitter dopamine where the 3- and 4-position hydroxy groups have been replaced with methoxy groups. It is ...

3-Methoxytyramine 3-Methoxytyramine (3-MT), also known as 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethylamine, is a human trace amine that occurs as a metabolite of the neurotransmitter dopamine. It is formed by the introduction of a methyl group to dopamine by the enzyme catecho ...

, 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine,

anhalonidine Anhalonidine a naturally occurring alkaloid which can be isolated from certain members of the cactus family, such as ''Lophophora''. It is structurally related to mescaline. See also * Anhalamine * Anhalidine * Anhalinine * Gigantine * Pellotine ...

anhalinine Anhalinine is a naturally occurring alkaloid which can be isolated from ''Lophophora williamsii''. It is structurally related to mescaline. See also * Anhalamine * Anhalidine * Anhalonidine * Gigantine * Pellotine Pellotine is an alkaloid fou ...

, hordenine, and

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 ...

. Mescaline is a

psychedelic drug Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science o ...

and entheogen, which is also found in some species of the genus ''

'' (e.g. ''

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 ...

'', ''

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 ...

'' and ''

Echinopsis tacaquirensis ''Echinopsis tacaquirensis'', is a species of ''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 right ...

'') and the species ''

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 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 ...

). Mescaline induces a psychedelic state comparable to those produced by LSD and psilocybin, but with unique characteristics. According to a research project in the Netherlands, ceremonial San Pedro use seems to be characterized by relatively strong spiritual experiences, and low incidence of challenging experiences. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the highest concentration of active substances is found in the layer of green

photosynthetic Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored in c ...

tissue just beneath the skin. Mescaline is not evenly distributed within single specimens of ''E. lageniformis''.

Cultivation

''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' in

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

s 8b to 10. The range of minimum temperatures in which it is known to grow is between -9.4 °C and 10 °C. Because it grows naturally in the

at high altitude and with high rainfall, it can withstand temperatures far below that of many other cacti. It requires fertile, free-draining soil. Plants grow up to 30 cm per year. They are susceptible to fungal diseases if over-watered, but are not nearly as sensitive as many other cacti, especially in warm weather. They can be sunburned and display a yellowing chlorotic reaction to overexposure to sunlight. In winter, plants will

etiolate Etiolation is a process in flowering plants grown in partial or complete absence of light. It is characterized by long, weak stems; smaller leaves due to longer internodes; and a pale yellow color (chlorosis). The development of seedlings in t ...

, or become thin, due to lower levels of light. This may be problematic if the etiolated zone is not sufficiently strong to support future growth as the cactus may break in strong winds.

Propagation from cuttings

Like many other plants, ''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' can be propagated from cuttings. The result is a genetic clone of the parent plant. It is therefore a popular method of propagating highly prized cultivars, sometimes by

grafting Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...

small cuttings onto fast-growing cultivars like the Predominant Cultivar (PC). Some names of cultivars that are highly prized by cactus collectors are Ogunbodede, and Vilcabamba A. A cactus column can be also laid on its side on the ground (like a log), and eventually roots will sprout from it and grow into the ground. After time, sprouts will form and cactus columns will grow upward out of it along its length.

From seed

Like a lot of its relatives, ''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi'' is easily grown from seed, often by means of a so-called "Takeaway Tek". This term refers to the practice of the sowing of ''Trichocereus'' (and sometimes other types of cactus) seed into plastic containers, such as those many food takeaways are delivered in. This creates a semi-controlled humidity environment chamber for six months to a year, in which the seed may germinate and then grow relatively unbothered by environmental contamination. To accelerate the growth of

seedlings A seedling is a young sporophyte developing out of a plant embryo from a seed. Seedling development starts with germination of the seed. A typical young seedling consists of three main parts: the radicle (embryonic root), the hypocotyl (embry ...

, they can be grafted on

Pereskiopsis ''Pereskiopsis'' is a genus of cactus (family Cactaceae) in the subfamily Opuntioideae. Unlike typical cacti, it has persistent fleshy leaves. The genus name refers to its resemblance to the genus ''Pereskia''. Most species are found in Mexico s ...

Legality

In most countries, it is legal to cultivate ''Trichocereus macrogonus'' var. ''pachanoi''. In countries where possession of mescaline and related compounds is illegal and highly penalized, cultivation for the purposes of consumption is most likely illegal and also highly penalized. This is the case in the United States, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Germany, and New Zealand, where it is currently legal to cultivate the San Pedro cactus for gardening and ornamental purposes, but not for consumption.

Gallery

File:Starr 070320-5797 Echinopsis pachanoi.jpg File:Starr 070320-5800 Echinopsis pachanoi.jpg File:Starr 070320-5796 Echinopsis pachanoi.jpg File:Starr 070320-5798 Echinopsis pachanoi.jpg File:Echinopsis-pachanoi-close-up.jpg File:San pedro.jpg File:Chavin-cactus-stone.jpg File:Sanpedroflower.jpg File:Seeds SanPedro (E. pachanoi).JPG, Seeds File:Echinopsis pachanoi jeune pousse.jpg, Three-week-old seedling File:San Pedro 5 months old 1.JPG, Five-month-old seedling File:Echinopsis pachanoi displaying many short-lived flowers.jpg File:Echinopsis pachanoi flowering at night in New Zealand.jpg File:Echinopsis pachanoi ripe fruit.jpg, The fruit after bursting open, revealing the seeds in a sweet flesh.

References

External links

Cactus Culture Volume 1: Trichocereus
by Patrick Noll
San Pedro: Basic Info
– International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service (ICEERS)
Psychoactive Cacti vault
– Erowid {{Taxonbar, from1=Q92450324, from2=Q14931625, from3=Q133426 macrogonus pachanoi Cacti of South America Entheogens Flora of Ecuador Flora of Peru Flora of the Andes Herbal and fungal hallucinogens Medicinal plants of South America Night-blooming plants Psychoactive cacti Psychedelic phenethylamine carriers Plants described in 1920