Lophophora diffusa

Lophophora diffusa
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Genus:	Lophophora
Species:	L. diffusa
Binomial name
Lophophora diffusa (Croizat) Bravo[1]
Synonyms
Lophophora echinata Croizat[2] Lophophora echinata var. diffusa Croizat 1944 Lophophora williamsii var. diffusa (Croizat) Rowley 1979 Lophophora diffusa var. koehresii Riha 1996, Lophophora williamsii var. koehresii (Riha) Grym 1997 Lophophora diffusa subsp. viridescens Halda 1997, Lophophora viridescens (Halda) Halda 1997 Lophophora diffusa var. fricii Halda 1997 Lophophora diffusa var. kubesai Halda, Kupcak et Malina Lophophora diffusa var. swobodaiana Halda, Kupcak et Malina Lophophora ziegleri Werdermann Lophophora ziegleriana Soulaire

Lophophora diffusa, commonly known as false peyote, is a species of plant in the Cactaceae family and one of the only two 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; pellotine is the principal alkaloid. The species name diffusa refers to the flat tubercles that are outspread without the plant having prominent ribs.^[4]

Description

The plants are yellow-green, usually lacking well-defined ribs and furrows. The podaria are rarely elevated, but are broad and flat. The tufts of hair are usually spread unequally on the prominent podaria. The flowers are commonly whitish to yellowish-white.

Distribution

Its natural habitat is semi-deserts on slopes and river beds, and under the shade of various shrubs and nurse plants.^[4] 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 as a narcotic and as an ornamental plant.^[2]

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References