Ariocarpus fissuratus
Encyclopedia
Ariocarpus fissuratus is a species of cactus
found in small numbers in northern Mexico
and Texas
in the United States
. Common names include living rock cactus, false peyote, and chautle.
s growing from a large tap root. They are usually solitary, rarely giving rise to side shoot
s from old areole
s. The plant is greyish-green in color, sometimes taking on a yellowish tint with age.
Its growth rate is extremely slow. A. fissuratus is naturally camouflaged in its habitat, making it difficult to spot. When they are found, it is usually due to their pinkish flowers.
In cultivation, Ariocarpus fissuratus is often grafted
to a faster growing columnar cactus to speed growth, as they would generally take at least a decade to reach maturity on their own. They require very little water and fertilizer, a good amount of light, and a loose sandy soil with good drainage.
like many other North American cactus species (such as Lophophora williamsii or Peyote), it has been found to contain other mind altering substances, such as N-methyltyramine
and hordenine
, albeit in doses too small to be active.
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
found in small numbers in northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Common names include living rock cactus, false peyote, and chautle.
Description
This cactus consist of many small tubercleTubercle
A tubercle is generally a wart-like projection, but it has slightly different meaning depending on which family of plants or animals it is used to refer to....
s growing from a large tap root. They are usually solitary, rarely giving rise to side shoot
Shoot
Shoots are new plant growth, they can include stems, flowering stems with flower buds, and leaves. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop...
s from old areole
Areole
Areoles are an important diagnostic feature of cacti, and identify them as a family distinct from other succulent plants. The areoles on cacti are clearly visible; they generally appear as small light- to dark-colored bumps, out of which grow clusters of spines...
s. The plant is greyish-green in color, sometimes taking on a yellowish tint with age.
Its growth rate is extremely slow. A. fissuratus is naturally camouflaged in its habitat, making it difficult to spot. When they are found, it is usually due to their pinkish flowers.
Cultivation
In cultivation, Ariocarpus fissuratus is often grafted
Grafting
Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together. This vascular joining is called inosculation...
to a faster growing columnar cactus to speed growth, as they would generally take at least a decade to reach maturity on their own. They require very little water and fertilizer, a good amount of light, and a loose sandy soil with good drainage.
Psychoactivity
Ariocarpus fissuratus is a unique species in that is has been used by Native American tribes as a mind altering substance, usually only as a substitute for peyote. While it does not contain mescalineMescaline
Mescaline or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic alkaloid of the phenethylamine class used mainly as an entheogen....
like many other North American cactus species (such as Lophophora williamsii or Peyote), it has been found to contain other mind altering substances, such as N-methyltyramine
N-Methyltyramine
N-Methyltyramine is a natural phenethylamine alkaloid found in a variety of plants. Biosynthetically, it is produced by the methylation of tyramine via the action of the enzyme tyramine N-methyltransferase....
and hordenine
Hordenine
Hordenine is a phenethylamine alkaloid with antibacterial and antibiotic properties. It stimulates the release of norepinephrine in mammals, working as a stimulant...
, albeit in doses too small to be active.