The Conversation, The ABC

& The Plant Thieves

Dearest cactacea family,

Last week I appeared as a character in an article published by The Conversation and the ABC. I was interviewed for a book early last year, along with tens of others, but the recent publication of an excerpt from this book in the form of these articles took me by surprise. 

The book is titled ‘The Plant Thieves: Secrets of the herbarium’ and was authored by academic, author and plant enthusiast, Prudence Gibson. The book is based on true events, but some artistic license has been used. The book’s title was lifted from an Entheogenesis Australis panel I helped put together in December 2020. The panel had a slightly longer title; ‘Plant Thieves and Plant Keepers.’ This panel featured ethnobotanical conservation experts, highlighting that collecting wild plants can threaten vulnerable species, while at the same time, collections can also protect plants threatened in their natural habitats. Some people can appear as both a plant thief, and as a plant carer. The thief and carer issue is uniquely complex when psychoactive plants are involved, due to particular forms of stigma.

In the context of the book, the article excerpts highlights how plant carers love and protect cactus, even when there may be risks in doing so. A theme of caring for plants in the face of harmful oppressive forces runs through The Plant Thieves, which powerfully illustrates the thief and carer issue. In the book there are many stories of plant custodianship in the face of oppressive forces, most importantly by First Nations people in the face of violence from ongoing colonisation.

Without the context of the book, the excerpts overemphasise the appreciation of potential psychedelic qualities in cactus, without recognising the many other amazing aesthetic and cultural features we can appreciate in these plants. Since the book excerpt was published I’ve received ample feedback that has been positive, but also feedback that has been apprehensive, stigmatising and even aggressive from people who do not want certain qualities of cacti to receive attention. I’ve come to believe that the writings on cactus in The Plant Thieves must be read with an awareness of the broader context of the book, and not in excerpts.

A message I value that is emphasised throughout my work is that Peyote is under threat in its native habitat. The extinction of Peyote populations has already occurred within my lifetime. Growing public awareness of San Pedro can reduce pressure on wild Peyote. This is not to say San Pedro varieties can’t be threatened in habitat too. Cultivation improves sustainability.    

Keep it cactusy,

Liam 🌵