Mescaline Concentrations in Three Principal Tissues ofLophophora williamsii(Cactaceae): Implications for Sustainable Harvesting Practices
Haseltonia February 1, 2015 Molly T. Klein, Md Abul Kalam, Keeper Trout et al. 12 citations
Mescaline concentrations in peyote are far higher in the crown than in other tissues. In mature plants from a single South Texas population, the average mescaline level in non-chlorophyllous stem was ten times lower than in the crown, and in root it was one hundred times lower. Non-chlorophyllous stem is a poor source of mescaline, and root is an extremely poor source. These findings imply that harvesting practices that cut non-chlorophyllous tissue kill the plant and prevent new crown regeneration, a conservation concern that should prompt reevaluation by harvesters and users.