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Lophophora species identification guide

Peyote can be hard to identify at times. Although there are only 2 peyote species (Lophophora diffusa, Lophophora williamsii), there can be some confusion with the proper identification. Also the added confusion of varieties or possible sub-species. Peyote like Lophophora fricii and Lophophora koehreshii have mixed things up a bit.

Page Contents

1. Lophophora species Dichotomous Key

2. Lophophora specie Photo Identification

* 2.1 Lophophora decipiens

* 2.2 Lophophora diffusa

* 2.3 Lophophora fricii

* 2.4 Lophophora jourdaniana

* 2.5 Lophophora koehresii

* 2.6 Lophophora williamsii

* 2.7 Lophophora williamsii var. caespitosa

3. Lophophora side by side photo comparison

4. Lophophora side by side written comparison

1. Lophophora species Dichotomous Key

See just this key, click to view & download.

2. Lophophora specie Photo Identification

Lophophora decipiens

Plant	Flower	Fruit	Areole	Seeds	Other

Lophophora diffusa

Growth Habit: Clumping, may offset profusely, or just a little. Spherical in shape, up to 20-25cm diameter.

Ribs: Wavy & variable, numbers 5, 8 & 13.

Skin: Green colour, rarely any grey-silverish colour, but is possible.

Areole: Spineless, from intensely wooly to bare.

Flower: White, seemingly seasonal.

Reproduction: Self-Sterile.

Fruit: White, often a little slower than L. williamsii to develop.

Seeds: 10-50 per fruit.

Plant	Flower	Fruit	Areole	Seeds	Other
[Pics: 1 2 3 4 5] L. diffusa seed grown.	[Pics: 1 ] L. diffusa white flower.	L. diffusa white fruit.	L. diffusa areole.	L. diffusa seed.	L. diffusa 'Big breast'

Lophophora fricii

Growth Habit: may or may not offset when younger. Some offset quite a lot, others stay singular until larger (10cm). Often globular, if not a little flattened, up to 20cm diameter.

Ribs: Wavy and irregular, numbers in 5, 8 or 13.

Skin: Grey-green, usually a grey to silver dusty appearance.

Areole: Spineless, very long wooly to almost bare areoles.

Flower: Usually a medium to dark shade of pink, petals are longer and pointed (similar in shape to L. koehresii), opportunistic flowerer.

Reproduction: Self-sterile.

Fruit: Dark pink.

Seeds: More seeds than L. williamsii, up to 60 per fruit have been seen so far.

Plant	Flower	Fruit	Areole	Seeds	Other
[Pics: 1 2 3 4] L. fricii seed grown.	[Pics: 1 2 ] L. fricii pink flowers.	[Pics: 1 ] L. fricii fruit.	L. fricii areole.	L. fricii seed.	L. fricii 'Big tuberciles'

Lophophora jourdaniana

Growth Habit: often a clumping style of growth early on.

Ribs: Wavy and irregular, numbers in 5, 8 or 13.

Skin: A green colour, some grey hues when older.

Areole: Lophophora jourdaniana has small spines, one of its defining attributes. Areoles may be very wooly, or bare.

Flower: Dark pink-red/purple petals, filaments also a red-purple colour.

Reproduction: Self sterile.

Fruit: Dark pink.

Seeds:

Plant	Flower	Fruit	Areole	Seeds	Other
				L. jourdaniana seed

Lophophora koehresii

Growth Habit: Generally singular until larger, this is also a very small Lophophora often staying under 15cm unless quite old.

Ribs: random, many times making an almost checkered, offset, pattern.

Skin: A nice shade of medium green.

Areole: Spineless, wooly to bare.

Flower: Light pink, sometimes a light pink stripe down a white petal, flowers year round (heavily).

Reproduction: self sterile.

Fruit: White to light pink, takes 1+ months to develop (usually).

Seeds: Up tp 50 seeds have been seen.

Plant	Flower	Fruit	Areole	Seeds	Other
[Pics: 1 ] L. koehresii plant	[Pics: 1 ] L. koehresii flowering	[Pics: 1 ] L. koehresii fruit	L. koehresii areole	L. koehresii seed

Lophophora williamsii

Growth Habit: Often singular, some may offset a little when young, round and flat growth habit reaching 20cm diameter (usually few-many offsets with age).

Ribs: Straight or spiral pattern in 5, 8 or 13.

Skin: Grey-silver "dusty" on green appearance.

Areole: Spineless, very wooly to bare.

Flower: Light pink, petals short and rounded at tips, opportunistic flowerer.

Reproduction: Self fertile.

Fruit: Pink, quick to develop (couple weeks).

Seeds: Fewer seeds than most Lophophora, 1-20 (usually 5-15).

Plant	Flower	Fruit	Areole	Seeds	Other
[Pics: 1 2 3 4 ] L. williamsii seed grown.	[Pics: 1 2 3 4 ] L. williamsii flowering.	L. williamsii with fruit.	L. williamsii areole	L. williamsii seed	L. williamsii 'cristate'

Lophophora williamsii forma. caespitosa

Growth Habit: This L. williamsii variety is different in that it offsets intensly at a young age, and continues to do so.

Ribs: Straight or spiral pattern in 5, 8 or 13.

Skin: Grey-silver "dusty" on green appearance.

Areole: Spineless, very wooly to bare.

Flower: Light pink, petals short and rounded at tips, flowers less than L. williamsii perhaps due to energy being spent on new offshoots..

Reproduction: Self fertile.

Fruit: Pink.

Seeds: Fewer seeds than most Lophophora, 1-20 (usually 5-15).

Plant	Flower	Fruit	Areole	Seeds	Other
L. williamsii seed grown.	L. caespitosa flowering.				Caespitosa 'variegata'

3. Lophophora side by side photo comparison

Variety ---------> Plant part (down)	L. decipiens	L. diffusa	L. fricii	L. koehresii	L. williamsii
Plant
Flower
Fruit
Grafts

4. Lophophora Species side by side written comparison

Here is a comparison of the 4 species of Lophophora as well as an additional "CV", Lophohpora jourdaniana.

Related Pages [Breeding Lophophora]