Echinopsis lageniformis
Bolivian torch cactus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Echinopsis
Species:
E. lageniformis
Binomial name
Echinopsis lageniformis
(C.F.Först.) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley[2]
Synonyms[2]
  • Cereus bridgesii Salm-Dyck
  • Cereus lageniformis C.F.Först.
  • Echinopsis scopulicola (F.Ritter) Mottram
  • Trichocereus bridgesii var. brevispinus Borg
  • Trichocereus bridgesii var. longispinus (C.A.Maass) Borg
  • Trichocereus bridgesii (Salm-Dyck) Britton & Rose
  • Trichocereus crassicostatus F.Ritter
  • Trichocereus riomizquensis F.Ritter
  • Trichocereus scopulicola F.Ritter

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.[3]

Description

The plant has a light greenish to bluish color grows shrubby to tree-shaped somewhat branching and usually has four to eight ribs. It can grow 2–5 metres (6.6–16.4 ft) tall with stems of up to 15–20 centimetres (5.9–7.9 in) in diameter. The areoles on them are large and are 1.5 to 3 centimeters apart. The two to six spines that emerge from them are unequal. Spines can range in coloration from honey-coloured to brown. These spines can grow up to 0.1–7 cm in length and in fully grown plants are spaced evenly on the ribs, 2.5 to 3 cm apart.[4][5]

The long, funnel-shaped, 15 to 18 cm long white fragrant flowers open at night. They are 16 to 20 centimeters long. The spherical fruits are hairy and are 4 to 6 centimeters long.

Distribution

The plant comes from departments of La Paz, Cochabamba, Tarija and Chuquisaca Bolivia at altitudes of 1000 to 3300 meters. Among the native populations of Bolivia it is sometimes called achuma or wachuma, although these names are also applied to related species, such as Echinopsis pachanoi, which also have hallucinogenic effects.

This does not occur in places where it is the dominant species, such as in the area of La Paz, Bolivia.

Cultivars

Several varieties of this species are highly prized by ornamental cactus collectors. These include a cristate variety, two variants of monstrose growth, and a more recently developed clone that exhibits both monstrose and cristate growth.[6] These all tend to be much slower growing than the standard form of the species, but owing to their highly unusual shapes, they are sought after by cactus collectors.

The monstrose form of Echinopsis lageniformis is known as the penis plant or penis cactus. Contrary to the typical columnar habit of the species, this cultivar displays short stem sections that branch avidly, forming a low spiny bush. The upper part of each stem segment is smooth and spineless, resembling a penis. The lower part is spiny and shows a tendency to form ribs. The plant is light green. The German name for this cultivar, Frauenglück, more euphemistic than its English equivalent, translates as "women's joy".

Psychoactivity

Like other species related to it, it has an ancient shamanic use in its place of origin. The plant contains a number of psychoactive alkaloids, in particular the well-studied chemical mescaline, typically at levels more consistent than Echinopsis pachanoi but lower than some particularly potent Echinopsis pachanoi specimens. A level of 0.56% mescaline content by dry weight was reported for E. lageniformis, while up to 4.7% for E. pachanoi.[7] The concentrations for specimens from various locations vary considerably and E. lageniformis may sometimes contain higher mescaline content than E. pachanoi.[7] In 2010, under its synonym E. scopulicola, it was noted to contain 0.82% mescaline by dry weight in the outer green layer.[8] Chemical analysis of some variants of this species have shown it may include some of the most potent of the psychedelic Trichocereus species,[3] although this is not conclusive nor does it apply to all strains of the species. Outside of its native habitat, it is one of the lesser known and used of the Trichocereus cacti for either its psychoactive or ornamental uses. This is not true in areas where it is the dominant species, for example, the La Paz area of Bolivia.

As with related species, it seems to have long shamanic tradition of use throughout its native habitat.


See also

References

  1. ↑ "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010-09-22. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  2. 1 2 "Echinopsis lageniformis (C.F.Först.) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  3. 1 2 Madsen, Jens. "5. Echinopsis Zucc". Flora of Ecuador. Gunnar Harling & Lennart Andersson (35): 27–30.
  4. ↑ Herrero-Ducloux, Enrique. "Datos quimicos sobre el Echinopsis eyriesii". Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas Universidad Nacional de la Plata (in Spanish). 2 (6): 43–49.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. p. 233. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  6. ↑ Rowley, Gordon (1978). Reunion of the Genus Echinopsis. Vol. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Succulents. New York: Crown Publishing. ISBN 978-0-517-53309-3.
  7. 1 2 Ogunbodede, Olabode; McCombs, Douglas; Trout, Keeper; Daley, Paul; Terry, Martin (2010-09-15). "New mescaline concentrations from 14 taxa/cultivars of Echinopsis spp. (Cactaceae) ("San Pedro") and their relevance to shamanic practice". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 131 (2): 356–362. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2010.07.021. PMID 20637277.
  8. ↑ Ogunbodede, Olabode; McCombs, Douglas; Trout, Keeper; Daley, Paul; Terry, Martin (September 2010). "New mescaline concentrations from 14 taxa/cultivars of Echinopsis spp. (Cactaceae) ("San Pedro") and their relevance to shamanic practice". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 131 (2): 356–362. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2010.07.021. PMID 20637277.
  9. ↑ "Cactacae - Sacred Succulents". Sacred Succulents. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
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