Olabode Ogunbodede
www.cactusconservation.org
That link has pictures of the plants from that study.
That stronger clone is the first photo on the page.
That 5% has a bit of a story behind it, that concentration is not new however, it matches data from over 50 years ago in the 4-5% range for outer tissue of T pachanoi.
The strong pachanoi was from a grower, it is not average or common material but is grown for the witches market. It was sent along with a very interesting Peruvianus plant, a fat clone with rather short spines, that was not included in the study for lacking collection data and was not tested. The pachanoi sample similarly lacked collection data and was only allowed into the study because of documented use of the species by Shamans and the thesis of the paper was about comparing species that have been corroborated as being used verses those not used. The hypothesis being that the species with a known history of use should be more potent than those that have no such known history. The hypothesis was not contradicted but the study was not exhaustive or conclusive, it did sum up a lot of data nicely though.
I don't know that anyone has tried the Peruvianus that the grower sent, I assume that if their pachanoi is strong, their peruvianus should be almost as strong, but I would never expect good peruvianus to be as potent as good pachanoi.
The clone that was sent from the grower in Peru that tested 5% in the outer skin was held up as a cutting in the post for a long time, also the seasons in Peru are the reverse of those here in the Northern Hemisphere, so there may be some important factors as to why it tested as it did. Clearly more study is needed.
I've heard a lovely rumor of diluting material to get it into the upper range of detection for a method that could not actually test above a specific percentage. Rumor has it that one method of measuring content had an upper range that if a sample exceeded then no accurate measurement could be given, so they diluted it, more than once, to get it into the proper range for the method... Yes this rumor has it that some study out there found material more potent than the highest range they could test for... the upper range being something like 4-5%...
Consider that some peyote is in the range of 6%, but most averages 1-2%... (mesc dry weight according to various sources) it is reasonable to expect this for Trichocereus. That is to say that some San Pedro (a name used for many species not just one) is weaker than average, such as the common clone that is so widespread in the USA... some is average, such as what many regard as potent, in the 1-2% range... and then there should be some that are exceptionally potent in comparison, 5-6% is not unreasonable.
