Lophophora
| Lophophora | |
|---|---|
| File:Lophophora williamsii.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Cacteae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Lophophora |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). A small genus of spineless, alkaloid-rich cacti. |
Etymology
The name is derived from the Greek lophos (crest) and phorein (to bear), referring to the tufts of wool (trichomes) that emerge from the areoles instead of spines.
Description
Lophophora consists of small, globose, and succulent cacti that lack spines entirely in their adult stage.
- Stems: Solitary or clustering, flattened-globose, and very soft to the touch. The color ranges from glaucous blue-green to yellowish-green. They possess a large, turnip-like taproot (napiform root).
- Ribs: Typically 5 to 13, often well-defined by vertical furrows, but in some species, the surface is divided into low, rounded tubercles.
- Areoles: Spineless in adults, instead bearing prominent tufts of soft, whitish or yellowish wool.
- Flowers: Diurnal, appearing from the woolly apex. They are funnel-shaped and relatively small. Colors range from pure white to pale pink or yellowish.
- Fruits: Club-shaped (clavate), fleshy, and pinkish to reddish when ripe. They emerge from the apical wool months after flowering.
- Seeds: Small, black, and tuberculate.
Habitat
The genus grows in the Chihuahuan Desert and surrounding regions, typically on limestone soils, under the shade of bushes, or in open rocky areas. They are slow-growing and highly adapted to extreme heat.
Distribution
- USA: Southern Texas.
- Mexico: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas.
Species and Subspecies
Following the classification of Lodé (2015), the genus includes 3 recognized species and 2 subspecies:
- Lophophora diffusa
- Lophophora fricii
- Lophophora williamsii (The "Peyote" - Type species)
Taxonomy
Lodé (2015) maintains a relatively narrow view of the genus. While many minor variations have been described as species (e.g., L. koehresii, L. alberto-vojtechii), Lodé considers them as part of the variability within the recognized taxa or synonyms. The genus is chemically unique within the tribe Cacteae due to its high concentration of phenethylamine alkaloids.
