''Lophophora diffusa'', commonly known as false peyote, is a species of plant in the family

Cactaceae A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Gree ...

and one of the only two species in the

Lophophora ''Lophophora'' () is a genus of spineless, button-like cacti. Its area range covers southern through northeastern and north-central Mexico to Querétaro in central Mexico. The species are extremely slow growing, sometimes taking up to thirty ye ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

in the outskirts of Querétaro. This species contains zero to trace amounts of mescaline;

pellotine Pellotine is an alkaloid found in ''Lophophora'' species. Pellotine is slightly narcotic, and has been used by Native Americans as a constituent of peyote for sacramental purposes. Psychological and physiological effects 8-10 mg of isolated ...

, whose psychoactive effects are comparatively minimal, is the principal

alkaloid Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...

. The species name ''diffusa'' refers to the flat tubercles that are outspread without the plant having prominent ribs.

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. 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 Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q146961 Flora of Mexico diffusa Vulnerable plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Léon Croizat