| Leucostele terscheckii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Leucostele |
| Species: | L. terscheckii |
| Binomial name | |
| Leucostele terscheckii (J.Parm. ex Pfeiff.) Schlumpb. | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Leucostele terscheckii, commonly known as the cardon grande cactus or Argentine saguaro, is a large cactus native to South America and popular in cultivation. [2]
It is a columnar, branching cactus that can grow over 7.6 metres (25 ft) tall. Its branches are about 25 cm (9.8 in) in diameter with 8 to 14 ribs. Branches are cylindrical, fleshy, light green. The branches are 10-20 cm in diameter, with 8-14 blunt ribs. It has large brownish areoles about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) apart with 8 to 15 yellowish spines, 8.3–10 cm (3.3–3.9 in) long, a central one, sometimes absent, and 8-15 radial. The nocturnal funnel-shaped white flowers can grow up to 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) long and 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in) wide. Pericarp and flower tube with dense white or brown axillary hairs. The round or oblong blue fruits are about 1.3 cm (0.51 in) in diameter and contain black to brown, oval seeds approximately 0.76 mm (0.030 in) long. [3]
It is native to several provinces including Jujuy, Tucumán, La Rioja, San Juan, Catamarca and Salta provinces in northwestern Argentina, and is the eponymous cactus of Los Cardones National Park in Salta Province. Range continues to the western slopes of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia department of Tarija, and Ecuador. It is found growing on dry slopes of the Andean foothills at altitudes of 500 to 1500 meters.
This species was first described as Cereus terscheckii by Ludwig Georg Karl Pfeiffer was published in 1837. [4] Heimo Friedrich and Gordon Douglas Rowley placed the species in the genus Echinopsis in 1974. [3] The specific epithet terscheckii honors the court gardener Carl Adolph Terscheck of Japanisches Palais in Dresden. In 2012, Boris O. Schlumpberger reclassified the species into the genus Leucostele . [5]
Leucostele terscheckii contains > 0.005-0.025% mescaline [6] in fresh cactus and 0.01%-2.375% [7] mescaline in dry weight, so dried cactus is sometimes processed for mescaline hydrochloride.
Echinopsis is a genus of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cactus, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. As of October 2023, there are about 20 accepted species, ranging from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines.
Echinopsis lageniformis, synonyms including Echinopsis scopulicola and Trichocereus bridgesii, is a cactus native to Bolivia. It is known as the Bolivian torch cactus. Among the indigenous populations of Bolivia, it is sometimes called achuma or wachuma, although these names are also applied to related species such as Trichocereus macrogonus which are also used for their psychedelic effects.
Soehrensia spachiana, commonly known as the golden torch, (white) torch cactus or golden column, is a species of cactus native to South America. Previously known as Trichocereus spachianus for many years, it is commonly cultivated as a pot or rockery plant worldwide. It has a columnar habit, with a lime-green cylindrical body with 1–2 cm long golden spines.
Trichocereus macrogonus, synonym Echinopsis macrogonus, is a species of cactus found in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Two varieties are accepted as of September 2023: var. macrogonus and var. pachanoi. Plants contain varying amounts of the psychoactive alkaloid mescaline. They have been used both ritually and in traditional medicine from pre-Columbian times. Trichocereus macrogonus is one of a number of similar species that may be called San Pedro cactus. Indigenous names include achuma and huachuma, although these too may be applied to similar species.
Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi is a fast-growing columnar cactus found in the Andes at 2,000–3,000 m (6,600–9,800 ft) in altitude. It is one of a number of kinds of cacti known as San Pedro cactus. It is native to Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, but also found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Venezuela 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.
Leucostele chiloensis is a species of cactus native to South America; genus members are known as hedgehog cacti, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus.
Many cacti are known to be psychoactive, containing phenethylamine alkaloids such as mescaline. However, the two main ritualistic (folkloric) genera are Echinopsis, of which the most psychoactive species occur in the San Pedro cactus group, and Lophophora, with peyote being the most psychoactive species. Several other species pertaining to other genera are also psychoactive, though not always used with a ritualistic intent.
Leucostele atacamensis (cardón) is a species of cactus from Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. The wood of this species can be used in building and in making furniture.
Soehrensia angelesiae is a species of cactus.
Soehrensia thelegona is a species of cactus in the Soehrensia genus.
Soehrensia formosa, is a species of Echinopsis found in South America. In north-western Argentina, Bolivia and northern Chile. First published in Cactac.: Handb. Kakteenk. 3: 1678 in 1959.
Soehrensia huascha, is a species of Soehrensia in the Cactaceae family, found in north western Argentina. First published in Cactaceae Syst. Init. 29: 5 in 2013.
Echinopsis strigosa, is a species of Soehrensia in the cactus family. It is native to north western Argentina. It was first published in Cactaceae Syst. Init. 28: 31 in 2012.
Soehrensia tarijensis, is a species of Soehrensia, in the cactus family. It is native to Bolivia and northwestern Argentina.
Soehrensia grandiflora, is a species of Echinopsis found in Argentina.
Leucostele deserticola is a species of cactus native to South America.
Leucostele litoralis is a species of Leucostele found in Chile.
Leucostele tunariensis is a species of columnar cactus native to South America.
Leucostele bolligeriana is a species of cactus found in Chile.
Chamaecereus saltensis is a species of cactus from northwestern Argentina.
Media related to Leucostele terscheckii at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Leucostele terscheckii at Wikispecies