Lophophora

J. M. Coulter

Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 3: 131. 1894.

Common names: Peyote
Etymology: Greek lophos, crest, and phoreus, a bearer, in reference to tufts of hairs in areoles
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Mentioned on page 96, 221, 229, 241.

Plants erect, commonly unbranched, becoming many branched and moundlike in old age, deep-seated in substrate. Roots taproots. Stems unsegmented, usually gray-green or blue-green to dark green [yellow-green in L. diffusa of Mexico], usually flat-topped and cryptic in soil surface, sometimes protruding above it with recessed apex, ribbed or weakly tuberculate, 2–7.5 × (4–)5–12 cm, softly fleshy, soft skinned, dull, glabrous; ribs 5, 8, or 13 (rarely 21), low, broadly rounded, straight, vertical or less often helically curved around stem; areoles 3–15+ mm apart along ribs or at apices of low, humplike tubercles, circular, copiously hairy, hairs usually in compact, erect tufts to 7–10 mm; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith not mucilaginous. Spines absent. Flowers diurnal, deeply nestled in copious areolar hairs at stem apex, arising from adaxial edges of areoles, campanulate, 1–3 × (1–)1.5–2.5 cm; outer tepals whitish to greenish pink, midrib greenish, margins entire or minutely fringed or ciliate distally; inner tepals usually white to pink [rarely yellowish white or magenta to reddish violet, at least in Coahuila, Mexico], 8–14(–22) × (1–)2.5–5 mm, margins ciliate or entire; ovary smooth, scales, hairs, and spines absent; stigma lobes (3–)4–8, white or pinkish, 1–3 mm. Fruits indehiscent, white to pinkish [to purple], clavate to nearly cylindric, 11–25 × (2–)4–5 mm, weakly succulent, quickly drying and contracting after ripening, upon drying becoming translucent and brownish white or whitish, spines and scales absent; pulp colorless; floral remnant weakly persistent or tardily deciduous. Seeds black, somewhat pyriform, cylindric, or obovoid, 1–1.5 × 1–1.2 mm, not glossy, with large, flat hilum; testa cells strongly convex. x = 11.

Distribution

Arid regions, sw United States, Mexico.

Discussion

Species 2 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

... more about "Lophophora"
Allan D. Zimmerman +  and Bruce D. Parfitt +
J. M. Coulter +
Arid regions +, sw United States +  and Mexico. +
Greek lophos, crest, and phoreus, a bearer, in reference to tufts of hairs in areoles +
Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. +
Lophophora +
Cactaceae subfam. Cactoideae +