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Lophophora diffusa
Lophophora diffusa, or false peyote, is a small, flat-stemmed cactus from the semi-deserts of Querétaro and Hidalgo in Mexico. It is one of the rarest members of its genus, grown mainly by collectors, and needs sharp drainage and a lot of sun.
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. This species contains only trace amounts of the psychedelic alkaloid mescaline. Instead, the sedative pellotine is the principal alkaloid. The species name diffusa refers to the flat tubercles that are outspread without the plant having prominent ribs.
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. 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. 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.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lophophora diffusa by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
