A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word cactus derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek word κάκτος (káktos), a name originally used by Theophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is now not certain. Cacti occur in a wide range of shapes and sizes. They are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north, with the exception of Rhipsalis baccifera, which is also found in Africa and Sri Lanka. Cacti are adapted to live in very dry environments, including the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth. Because of this, cacti show many adaptations to conserve water. For example, almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy parts adapted to store water. Unlike many other succulents, the stem is the only part of most cacti where this vital process takes place. Most species of cacti have lost true leaves, retaining only spines, which are highly modified leaves. As well as defending against herbivores, spines help prevent water loss by reducing air flow close to the cactus and providing some shade. In the absence of true leaves, cacti's enlarged stems carry out photosynthesis.
Mescaline, also known as mescalin or mezcalin, as well as 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. It binds to and activates certain serotonin receptors in the brain, producing hallucinogenic effects.
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.
Neoraimondia is a genus of medium to large cacti from Peru. The genus is named after the Italian-born Peruvian explorer, naturalist, and scientist, Antonio Raimondi.
Ariocarpus is a small genus of succulent, subtropical plants of the family Cactaceae.
Pelecyphora, pincushion cactus or foxtail cactus is a genus of cacti, comprising 20 species. They originate from Mexico and the United States.
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.
Lophophine is a putative psychedelic and entactogen drug of the methylenedioxyphenethylamine class. It is the α-demethylated homologue of MMDA, and is also closely related to mescaline.
3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (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 also closely related to mescaline which is 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine.
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.
San Pedro cactus may refer to several species or infraspecies of cactus potentially containing mescaline, particularly:
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.
The peyote is a small, spineless cactus which contains psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline. Peyote is a Spanish word derived from the Nahuatl peyōtl, meaning "caterpillar cocoon", from a root peyōni, "to glisten". Peyote is native to Mexico and southwestern Texas. It is found primarily in the Sierra Madre Occidental, the Chihuahuan Desert and in the states of Nayarit, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosí among scrub. It flowers from March to May, and sometimes as late as September. The flowers are pink, with thigmotactic anthers.
Cimora is a Peruvian term used to describe a brew with hallucinogenic properties made from the “San Pedro” cacti and other plants such as chamico in South America, used traditionally for shamanic purposes and healing in Peru and Bolivia. The name is also used to describe a number of both hallucinogenic and non-hallucinogenic plants in the region, some of which are used in traditional medicines. Which plants go by the name cimora is an ethnobotanical problem that has been debated at great length by ethnobotanists in many different journals. The term cimora is said to refer to algo malo, meaning something bad. San Pedro goes by many names including pachanoi, aguacolla, elremedio, gigantón, and cactus of the four winds. The ritualistic use of the brew is similar to ayahuasca, which is a South American used as a traditional spirit medicine in Brazil, although while the active ingredient in ayahuasca is DMT, the active ingredient in cimora is mescaline. The use of cimora and the rituals involved have evolved throughout history due to the influence of those who controlled Peru at different stages, although it has almost always involved the use of the San Pedro cactus and its mescaline content.
Leucostele terscheckii, commonly known as the cardon grande cactus or Argentine saguaro, is a large cactus native to South America and popular in cultivation.
Pellotine is an alkaloid found in Lophophora species, in particular L. diffusa. Pellotine is slightly narcotic, and has been used by Native Americans as a constituent of peyote for sacramental purposes.
Psychoactive plants are plants, or preparations thereof, that upon ingestion induce psychotropic effects. As stated in a reference work:
Psychoactive plants are plants that people ingest in the form of simple or complex preparations in order to affect the mind or alter the state of consciousness.
Cactus alkaloids are alkaloids that occur in cactus. Structurally, they are tetrahydroisoquinolines and phenylethylamines.
