Lophophora diffusa

Lophophora diffusa, commonly known as false peyote, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae and one of the species in the Lophophora genus. It is endemic to Mexico in the outskirts of Querétaro.^[3] This species contains zero to trace amounts of mescaline. Instead, pellotine is the principal alkaloid - the psychoactive effects of which are comparatively minimal. The species name diffusa refers to the flat tubercles that are outspread without the plant having prominent ribs.^[4]

Lophophora diffusa
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Genus:	Lophophora
Species:	L. diffusa
Binomial name
Lophophora diffusa (Croizat) Bravo[2]
Synonyms
Lophophora echinata var. diffusa Croizat 1944 Lophophora williamsii var. diffusa (Croizat) G.D.Rowley 1976 publ. 1979 Lophophora williamsii subsp. diffusa (Croizat) Scheinvar 2004 Peyotl diffusus (Croizat) Sotom., Arred. & Mart.Mend. 2001 Lophophora diffusa var. koehresii Říha 1996 Lophophora diffusa subsp. kubesae Halda, Kupčák & Malina 2002 Lophophora diffusa var. swobodaiana Halda, Kupčák & Malina 2002 Lophophora diffusa subsp. viridescens Halda 1997 Lophophora koehresii (Říha) Bohata, Myšák & Šnicer 2005 Lophophora viridescens (Halda) Halda 1997 Lophophora williamsii var. koehresii (Říha) Grym 1997 Peyotl viridescens (Halda) Sotom., Arred. & Mart.Mend. 2001 Lophophora echinata var. diffusa Croizat[1]

Description

Lophophora diffusa typically grows as a solitary plant or in groups. Its yellow-green, soft, and somewhat flattened succulent stems reach heights of 2–7 cm (0.79–2.76 in) and diameters of 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in). The podaria are rarely elevated, but are broad and flat. The plant lacks ribs, and its wide, flat cusps have small areoles (2–3 mm) with no spines. It has a broad, shallow, tuber-like root, and tufts of hair are unevenly distributed. The flowers are white to slightly pink or yellowish-white, measuring 1.3–2.2 cm (0.51–0.87 in) in diameter.^[5]

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  Plant
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  Flower

Distribution

This species is the southernmost representative of the genus Lophophora, thriving in limestone soils within a small area of approximately 775 km² (299 sq mi) between Vizarrón, Bucareli, and Tolimán in Querétaro, Mexico, with minor occurrences in Hidalgo. Its natural habitat is semi-deserts on slopes and river beds, and under the shade of various shrubs and nurse plants such as Larrea tridentata and Senegalia sororia.^[4][6] It grows at altitudes of 1,000–2,000 metres (3,280–6,560 ft) above sea level, forming isolated and self-regulated populations in the Estórax River depression.^[7] It is considered vulnerable due to a very small distribution range, small population of less than 3,000 individuals, and illegal collecting. It is collected illegally by people seeking peyote, and as an ornamental plant.^[1]

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  Blooming plant in habitat near near Vizarron, Quéretaro, Mexico.
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  Plant growing under scrub in Pena Blanca, Queretaro
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  Cluster of plants growing in Pena Blanca, Queretaro

Taxonomy

Originally described as Lophophora echinata var. diffusa by Léon Croizat in 1944, it was elevated to species level in 1967 by Helia Bravo Hollis. The epithet diffusa derives from Latin, meaning "indistinct," referencing the plant’s low, flat, and barely noticeable warts.