San Pedro (cactus) - Definition and Overview

San Pedro cactus (Trichocereus pachanoi) is a fast-growing cactus native to the Andes of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. San Pedro contains mescaline, a hallucinogenic drug also found in some other species of genus Trichocereus (i.e. Trichocereus bridgesi, Trichocereus peruvianus) and Lophophora; but unlike peyote it is currently not illegal, in fact it is widespread. The mescaline found in the San Pedro cactus is approximately 1/10th the concentration as in peyote, and the plant's legality owes largely to the fact that it is difficult to consume a large enough amount to produce significant psychotropic effects. However, there are various simple techniques by which material containing a much higher concentration of mescaline can be extracted from the cactus, and it is probably the most common source of mescaline.

External Links

• Growing Trichocereus species (Plot55.com) (http://www.plot55.com/growing/trichocereus.html)

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