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Lophophora diffusa
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Please avoid harvesting peyote in its natural habitat. Peyote populations are rapidly declining in nature due to over-harvesting by non-indigenous peoples. As a result, it is currently a threatened species.[1][2] Those who wish to consume peyote are encouraged to grow their own or use alternative mescaline-containing cactus species such as San Pedro or Peruvian Torch. |
Lophophora diffusa, also known as false peyote, is a spineless cactus in the Cactaceae family. This species contains zero to trace amounts of mescaline, but it has other psychoactive alkaloids.
| Lophophora diffusa | |
|---|---|
Lophophora diffusa in nature. |
|
| Taxonomical nomenclature | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Unranked | Angiosperms |
| Unranked | Eudicots |
| Unranked | Core eudicots |
| Order | Caryophyllales |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Genus | Lophophora |
| Species | L. diffusa |
| Common nomenclature | |
| Common names | False peyote |
| Constituents | |
| Active constituents | Pellotine, Mescaline |
Natural habits
The natural habitat of L. diffusa is in 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 as a narcotic and as an ornamental plant.
Alkaloids
L. diffusa, unlike L. williamsii, is high in pellotine and low in mescaline.[3]
Alkaloids in other Lophophora species
| Alkaloid (mg/gram of alive plant) | L. williamsii | L. jourdaniana | L. diffusa | L. fricii | L. koehresii |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyramine | 0.5 - 1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Hordenine | 5 - 8 | 2 - 9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Mescaline | 15 - 30 | 31 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
| Pellotine | 14 - 17 | 17.8 | 86.2 | 65.2 | 88.4 |
| Anhalonidine | 14 | 20.1 | 3.8 | 25.9 | 3.5 |
Study by Dr. Štarha in the Grym, Rudolf (1997) book.[3]
External links
References
- ↑ Martin Terry (Sul Rose State Univ., A. (19 November 2009). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Lophophora williamsii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- ↑ José Guadalupe Martínez, Global Cactus Assessment / Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, M., Emiliano Sánchez, Jardín Botánico Regional de Cadereyta, Q., Martin Terry, Sul Rose State Univ., A., Group, C. G.-H., IUCN S. C. & S. P. S. (18 November 2009). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Lophophora diffusa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Grym, R. (1997). Rod Lophophora: = Die Gattung Lophophora. Stanik [u.a.] ISBN 9788090093393.