I picked this this up at a local home/garden chain today. It was accidentally uprooted so I got it half off

It is labeled Echinopsis sp. forma cristata. No species name was given

I doubt its a pedro but perhaps it is. If anyone could identify i would thoroughly appreciate it.

Wikipedia says, without cited sources, that several echinopsis species contain mescaline.
Doesn't specifically list cristata - that isn't the species?

I am not a cactus expert, only trying to help

Edit: Now you got me reading about cacti so I'll probably be up til 3

"Several cacti in the genus Echinopsis have been demonstrated to contain the psychedelic alkaloid mescaline and have a long history of traditional use for psychotherapeutic, spiritual, and medicinal purposes. An unknown Echinopsis species (likely E. pachanoi or E. bridgesii) sometimes referred to as "The Cactus of the Four Winds" is said to have potently psychedelic effects. This cactus has four ribs, supposedly an indicator of higher potency; however, it is not uncommon for cacti in the genus Echinopsis to change their rib configurations, with some alternating between a four- and six-rib configuration. Modern analysis has not yet shown any link between the number of ribs and alkaloid content. The suggestion that a square (four-ribbed) plant is "more powerful" might be entirely metaphorical and relate to a native cultural value rather than actual alkaloid content."

Yet another edit.
Here's this link, showing a san pedro cactus that looks very close to yours
http://www.cactuspedia.i...us_pachanoi_cristata.htm
Oh man taxonomy is fun; it looks like there is a species called Echinopsis Cristata, but I can't find anything about it besides a few anecdotes on Wikipedia.

Cristata refers to the abnormal form that the plant takes. If the plant was known to be a pedro it would be labeld Trichocereus pachanoi forma cristata.

here some stuff about cristate formation:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciation

after looking into it more im gaining hope it is a pachanoi.

Well, Echinopsis is the new genus name for Trichocereus. The new official one. Echinopsis pachanoi is actually san pedro. It could be, but the areoles and spikes don't really look like it. I wish i could ID it for ya. Great specimen though. I would have grabbed it too.

Nice find

non active
the pots label appears to be accurate- not a tricho

but.. trichocereus = echinopsis

?

my guess is that it doesn't matter much what species it is, as it definitely isn't a PC/pachanot

also i found this

most collectors in the community still differentiate between the two. even after they have been scientifically lumped together//

well its definitely not a pachanoi. perhaps one day it will flower and i can identify it, so until then ill just let it soak up some sun.

I did google the barcode number and came up with this

i may try to contact one of these plant distributors and see if that will take me anywhere, if i am determined enough (which I probably am).

Thanks for all the help everyone, it seems that ill be working on this for a while

after a bit of 5 minute research i found the people that grew it and am emailing them right away. I hope these horticulturalists dont judge me and think i might actually be a DRUG USER!!

http://www.cactusshop.com/library/ImagePopup.aspx?id=1507

i guess i wont be working on this for a while. this was found on the distributors site.

I think that may be an echinopsis eyriesii crest

and not containing what is sought

could also be echnopsis oxygona

echinopsis has had trichocereus and lobivia dumped into it before ....
learn the trichocereus species ,,,
and then seek them with the first name echinopsis too
=when hunting