Genera

Ariocarpus

Astrophytum

Aztekium

Lophophora

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Family: Cactaceae

Subfamily: Cactoideae

Tribe: Cacteae

Botanical Name: Lophophora williamsii var. decipiens Croizat

Extensions: var. decipiens

English Name(s): Peyote, Peyotl, Devil's Root, Dumpling Cactus, Mescal, Mescal Button, Whiskey Cactus.

Synonyms: Echinocactus williamsii, Lophophora lewinii, Lophophora echinata, Lophophora lutea.

Related Species: Lophophora williamsii.

Description:

Rib form:

Max. size: With age single heads of 15 cm are possible, but takes many years.

Skin:

Areoles: Spineless and wooly.

Roots: Large tap root, as in all Lophophora. Large Lophophora decipiens may have 20+ cm long tap roots. Usually single taps, but may branch. Capillary roots are few and located randomly all over the main tap root.

Reproduction:

Flower Morphology: Usually located at the areole(s) in the top center of plant, sometimes flowers from the sides (rarely). Flowers are around 2cm accross when open, broad funnel form tube. Scales are a green colour on back (easily seen when "buds" are emerging from the wool). Style is white in colour. Stigma lobes 3-6 (what we have seen) often at the same height as the anthers, anthers fold in to the stigma when touched, perhaps a fertilization adaptation. Ovary naked.

Petal colour: Pink.

Fruits: Fruits are a shade of pink, naked, about 1-2.5 cm long. Often take approximately 2-8 weeks to develop after fertilization in cultivation. Fruit may contain 0-30 seeds each, sometimes more on the odd occasion.

Seeds: [Photo]

Notes: Lophophora decipiens is said by some to be Lophophora williamsii var. decipiens, a L. williamsii variety. It has been suggested by others that perhaps Lophophora decipiens and Lophophora fricii share many common bonds and could be made into the same name. We have no opinion on the matter just yet, so for now we are going with the popular vote: Lophophora williamsii var. decipiens.