False Peyote

Family Cactaceae (Cactus Family) Forms and Subspecies None Synonyms None Folk Names Asselkaktus, falscher peyote, false peyote, hatchet cactus, peotillo, peyote (see Lophophora williamsii) , peyote meco, peyotillo, piote History Indians of northern Mexico once used this relatively rare cactus in a similar manner to or as a substitute for peyote (see Lophophora williamsii). The first botanical description of the psychoactive cactus was made by the Berlin physician and botanist Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg (17951876). A powder of the cactus was formerly sold in Paris under the name poudre de peyote, "peyote powder." Distribution This cactus occurs only in northern Mexico (San Luis Potosi) (Preston-Mafham 1995, 167*; Zander 1994,422*). Cultivation The plant is propagated from seeds, which are planted in the same manner as those of Lophophora williamsii. Appearance This solitary cactus can grow to a height of 10 cm. It has a round form with lateral, flattened tubercles that are arranged in a spiral fashion and have scalelike pectinate spines. Because of this, the cactus sometimes resembles a deeply convoluted brain. The flowers are up to 3 cm across and are bright violet. The fruits are red pods. Peyotillo can easily be confused with the closely related species Pelecyphora strobiliformis (Werderm.) Kreuz. [syn. Ariocarpus strobiliformis Werderm., Encephalocarpus strobiliformis (Werderm.) Berger; cf. Ariocarpus fissuratus] , which is found in Nuevo Leon (Mexico) (Preston-Mafham 1995, 167*). Another very similar species is Pelecyphora pseudopectinata Backeb. [SYll. Neolloydia pseudopectinata (Backeb.) Anderson, Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus (Backeb.) Glass et Foster]; in Tamaulipas, this cactus is also called peyote (Diaz 1979, 90*). Turbinicarpus valdezianus (Moell.) Glass et Foster [SYll. Pelecyphora vaIdezianus MoelI.] is also quite similar, but it is smaller (growing to a height of only 2.5 cm) and occurs in Coahuila (Preston-Mafham 1995, 194*).

Psychoactive Material - Fresh or dried cactus flesh (buttons)Preparation and Dosage The flesh of the cactus (the aboveground portion or the head) can be eaten fresh or dried. No information concerning dosages is known. Ritual Use Only as a peyote substitute (see Lophophora williamsii) Artifacts See Lophophora williamsii. Medicinal Use See Lophophora williamsii. Constituents The cactus contains hordenine, anhalidine, pellotine, 3-dimethyltrichocerine, some mescaline, Nmethylmescaline, and other p-phenethylamines (Mata and McLaughlin 1982, 110*; Neal et al. 1972). Effects One cactus, eaten fresh, is said to produce peyotelike effects (cf. Lophophora williamsii). Although the effects are not quite as dramatic, they do include the typical visual changes and phenomena (William Emboden, pers. comm.). Commercial Forms and Regulations This rare cactus is almost never found in the international cactus trade. It may be possible to obtain seeds from ethnobotanical mail-order suppliers. Literature See also the entry for Lophophora williamsii. Neal, J. M., P. T. Sato, W. N. Howald, and J. L. McLaughlin. 1972. Peyote alkaloids: Identification in the Mexican cactus Pelecyphora aselliformis Ehrenberg. Science 176:1131-33.