Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus (medicinal use)

Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus
Date: 1996 November 6
Location: Tamaulipas

A jar of Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus in alcohol! Apparently used by locals as a painkiller, particularly for blows and bruises. The white at the bottom of the jar is a flower - presumably the plants were collected in flower as they are then much easier to find.

The trusty CANTE van had started to overheat. We eventually located the local Volkswagen expert. As he attempted to repair the van, we mentioned that we were in the area to study cacti. "Oh - you mean 'peyote'" he said. We replied that there wasn't any 'peyote' in the area (assuming that Lophophora was meant), at which he sent one of his children into the house to fetch this jar of Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus preserved in alcohol. We don't think the intention was to take the preparation internally, rather to rub it on the skin.

Paul Hoxey holds the jar for Charlie Glass to photograph, while Juan-Antonio García Luna (of CANTE) and the mechanic ponder the radiator.

We were soon on the road again, equipped with a pair of wires led in through the window, which we had to twist together when we wanted the cooling fan to run!