id hints

[knje]

anyone have tips for identifying san pedros or peruvian torch?

[A480]

San Pedro is fairly easy to ID, as there are only one or two lookalikes out there...generally, Trichocereus pachanoi will have fairly short spines, ranging from non-existant to about half a cm long. The spines are arranged haphazardly on the areole (ie, there isn't a clearly defined central spine, and they aren't laid out in a radial pattern as on other species). The areole itself should have a downy quality to it, as should all(?) Trich's.

Peruvianus is trickier, as there are many lookalikes within the genus Trichocereus and in other genera. I don't think I will ever be able to tell the difference between Tr. peruvianus and Browingia hertlingiana, for example. Peruvianus as a species also seems to be more variable than pachanoi. V-notching above the areole is a possible (tho' unreliable) indicator, as is a prominent central spine. On my not-exactly- scientifically-ID'd peruvianus, the spine at the top of the areole is also longer than the rest.

For all your Tricho ID needs:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EntheogenImages/

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=665768

[This message has been edited by A480 (edited 11 December 2001).]

[knje]

cheers for that

[M S Smith]

Thanks A480 for mentioning my EntheogenImages site! Things have slowed down there a bit, but of course that seems to be because I am really about the only one of the 110 members who post. Well, not to mention, it is also the winter here in the northern hemisphere, so all my plants are indoors and I really dislike photos with artificial lighting. Come the spring and I will probably take a few more.

And knje, the easiest way to find all the T. peruvianus photos is to simply type in "peruvianus" at the Search function at the Home Page.

Have fun!

Michael

[Guest robots123]

hello,

to identify san pedro,

if looking at the side of the san pedro it should look like a "saw tooth appearance"

compare with T.scop which is generally rounded between spines

also i like to go for any that are really dark green, but cannot put this down to variety or age or conditions of growth

regards,

robots123