Pachycereus Pringlei

''Pachycereus pringlei'' (also known as Mexican giant cardon or elephant cactus) is a species of large cactus native to northwestern Mexico, in the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Sonora. It is commonly known as ''cardón'', a name derived from the Spanish word ''cardo'', meaning "thistle"; additionally, it is often referred to as sabueso (or “bloodhound”), which is possibly an early Spanish interpretation of the native Seri term for the plant, xaasj.

Large stands of this cactus still exist, but many have been destroyed as land has been cleared for cultivation in Sonora.

Climate change will likely impact the future distribution of numerous plant species, including ''Pachycereus pringlei,'' which can be attributed to alterations in precipitation and temperature.

The cactus fruits were always an important food for the Seri people, in Sonora; the dried cactus columns themselves could be used for construction purposes, as well as for firewood.*

A symbiotic relationship with bacterial and fungal colonies, on its roots, allows ''P. pringlei'' to grow on bare rock, even where no soil is available at all; the cactus has the distinction of being lithophytic as needed. The root’s bacterial colonies can fix nitrogen from the air and break down the rock to expose hidden sources of nutrients. The cactus even evolved to maintain this symbiotic bacteria within its seeds, serving to benefit by taking it on as part of its very physical biology.

Morphology

A cardon specimen is the tallest living cactus in the world, with a maximum recorded height of , with a stout trunk up to in diameter bearing several erect branches. In overall appearance, it resembles the related saguaro (''Carnegiea gigantea''), but differs in being more heavily branched and having branching nearer the base of the stem, fewer ribs on the stems, blossoms located lower along the stem, differences in areoles and spination, and spinier fruit.

Its flowers are white, large, nocturnal, and appear along the ribs as opposed to only apices of the stems.

Lifespan and growth

An average mature cardon may reach a height of , but individuals as tall as are known. It is a slow-growing plant with a lifespan measured in hundreds of years. One way scientists have aged these cacti has been to use radiocarbon dating to test the spines closest to the ground. Growth can be significantly enhanced in its initial stages by inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria such as ''Azospirillum'' species. Most adult cardon have several side branches that may be as massive as the trunk. The resulting tree may attain a weight of 25 tons.(Gibson and Nobel, 1986).

Constituents and biological effects

''Pachycereus pringlei'' has psychedelic effects and appears to have been used by ancient people in Baja California, Mexico as an entheogen. This was discovered by businessman Earl Crockett, who then contacted and became acquainted with Alexander Shulgin. Shulgin further evaluated ''Pachycereus pringlei'', including self-experimentation and analytical characterization. He described it as a "mild psychedelic" and as "very definitely psychedelic, a little bit on the light side". In 2001, a group of twelve, including Alexander and Ann Shulgin, bioassayed the cactus. Half had a "marvelous" or "good" but otherwise unremarkable psychedelic experience, while the other half became "viciously/violently" "poisoned/ill". Its effects included visuals, dysphoria or anxiety, heavy body load, diarrhea, and, in the case of Alexander Shulgin, an overwhelming fear of moving. Ann Shulgin had an even more severe reaction than Alexander Shulgin, stating that she "could see the full moon shining down on me with what felt like chilling contempt" and thinking to herself "What an awful, stupid way to die". Alexander Shulgin said that he was unable to figure out why half the group became sick and the other half did not. His efforts to complete his research on the cactus were hampered by difficulty in finding people willing to consume it due to its serious adverse effects in many people.

In contrast to other psychedelic cacti, ''Pachycereus pringlei'' does not contain mescaline. However, a number of mescaline-related constituents have been identified in ''Pachycereus pringlei'', including the phenethylamines 3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine (not rigidly proven) and ''N''-methylmescaline and the tetrahydroisoquinolines or cyclized phenethylamines heliamine, ''N''-methylheliamine, tehaunine, tehaunine ''N''-oxide, lemaireocereine, weberine, and carnegine. When Shulgin started investigating ''Pachycereus pringlei'', five compounds in it had already been identified (possibly referring to heliamine, tehaunine, tehaunine ''N''-oxide, lemaireocereine, and weberine), and Shulgin stated that he had seen mass spectrometry for an additional 18compounds. Some of the additional compounds, like ''N''-methylmescaline, were subsequently disclosed by Keeper Trout.

Some of the isoquinoline constituents that Shulgin assessed, like carnegine, have been identified as potent monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). According to Shulgin, ''N''-methylmescaline, in combination with MAOIs also present in the cactus that allow ''N''-methylmescaline to become orally active, may be the active psychedelic constituent. This has led to ''Pachycereus pringlei'' being dubbed by Shulgin as "cactahuasca" (or spelled "cactihuasca" or "cactohuasca"), as it would be analogous to ayahuasca, a combination of the monoamine oxidase (MAO)- metabolized and normally orally-inactive psychedelic dimethyltryptamine (DMT) with MAOI harmala alkaloids that allow for oral activity. In any case, Shulgin's hypothesis of ''Pachycereus pringleis psychedelic activity remains unconfirmed, and the active constituents have yet to be fully resolved. It has been noted that ''N''-methylation of psychedelic phenethylamines, for instance Beatrice (''N''-methyl-DOM), has invariably eliminated their hallucinogenic activity. On the other hand, trichocereine (''N'',''N''-dimethylmescaline) has been reported to be psychedelic, although these findings are conflicting and controversial. No naturally occurring isoquinolines are known to be hallucinogenic in humans. Synthetic tetrahydroisoquinoline analogues of potent phenethylamine psychedelics, for instance DOM-CR (derived from DOM), show loss of hallucinogen-like effects in animals.

Some of the alkaloids in ''Pachycereus pringlei'', like carnegine, are known to have toxic effects in animals, for instance strychnine-like convulsions.

Gallery

File:Pachycereus pringlei cardon sahueso.JPG, Habit
File:Pachycereus pringlei with osprey nest.JPG, With an osprey nest atop
File:Cardon in flower.jpg, Flowering
File:Baja 2014 053 (14829360041).jpg, Husk of a fallen fruit
File:Pachycereus Pringlei With Human for Scale.jpg, With human for scale
File:Pachycereus pringlei spines.jpg, Spines
File:Close up of a single Pachycereus pringlei plant.jpg, Close up of a single plant

Notes

:1.The tallest living cactus is a specimen of ''Pachycereus pringlei''. The tallest cactus ever measured was an armless Saguaro cactus which blew over in a windstorm in 1986; it was 23.8 meters (78 feet) tall.

References

External links

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Cacti Guide: ''Pachycereus pringlei''



Sasha Shulgin discussing a cacti that contains no mescaline, yet is still active - Reddit

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pringlei
Alexander Shulgin
Plants described in 1909
Cacti of Mexico
Flora of Baja California
Flora of Baja California Sur
Flora of Sonora
Desert fruits
Psychoactive cacti
Herbal and fungal hallucinogens