Lophphora fricii – Peyote Fricii (3cm – 5cm)

Peyote Fricii – Lophphora fricii

Origin and Habitat: Lophphora fricii species has a very limited range around the lagoon near Viesca in the state of Coahuila, Northern Mexico.
Habitat and Ecology: Lophophora fricii is found growing in two very different habitats, on plains with xerophyllous scrub, mesquite and agave, and on limestone slopes and mountain tops. The species is very abundant in appropriate habitat. Illegal collecting for producing ointments poses a threat to this species. Buy San Pedro Cactus

Synonyms:

Lophophora williamsii var. fricii (Haberm.) Grym
Anhalonium floro rosea Frič
Lophophora diffusa subs. fricii (Haberm.) Halda
Lophophora fricii Haberm.
Peyotl zacatensis (Haberm.) Sotom., Arred. & Mart.Mend.
Peyotl zacatensis var. fricii (Haberm.) Sotom., Arred. & Mart.Mend.
See all synonyms of Lophophora williamsii

Common Names include:
ENGLISH: False Peyote

False Peyote

Description: Lophophora williamsii var. fricii is a geophytic, button-like, spineless cactus with large tap root, and only the apical part of the stem exposed at soil level. The stems are typically broad and flattened, and large clumps up to 40 cm wide can be produced over time by repeated lateral branching of the original stem and its branches. It is described as differing from Lophophora williamsii in having yellowish-grey-green epidermis, a different arrangement of ribs (usually lacking well defined ribs), and seeds with a coarse testa and a compressed V-shaped hilum. Typically the flowers are carmine-red, but as demonstrated by observing plants in habitat, the colour can be much lighter than that indicated in the description.
Stem: Pale grey-green to yellow-green, usually lacking well defined ribs and furrows. The stems starts branching when a plant with a single crown reaches the size of a large saucer. Then branches (consisting of small crowns) begin to erupt from the areoles at the perimeter of the parent plant’s crown. When the new branches reach a certain size, they put down their own tap roots, making them independent of the parent plant that produced them, and then they begin to branch in turn. The result, which probably takes several decades to manifest itself and has no obvious endpoint, is a large clump of dozens of more or less connected plants, ranging in size from new branches that may be no more than a centimeter in diameter, to very large 21-ribbed plants that may exceed 10 cm across. Buy San Pedro Cactus Pachanoi (Trichocereus)
Ribs: 5-13( occasionally up to 21) the podaria (tubercles) are rarely elevated, but are broad and flat.
Areoles: With tufts of hairs that usually spread unequally on the prominent podaria.
Flowers: Commonly pale to dark pink (or rarely pinkish white), reaching over 4 centimetres in diameter.
Seeds. Oval , 1.5 mm long and 1.2 mm wide, with the hilum compressed into a V shape. The testa black, coarsely nodulated, with an oval tubercle structure and tubercles becoming smaller near the hilum.
Remarks: In habitat Lophophora fricii is a very mutable species. It´s hardly to find two similar plants at one location. Particularly in terms of the bloom they are different at the same locations. Buy Lophphora fricii

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Lophophora williamsii group

Lophophora fricii var. decipiens (Croizat) P.Hansen: With the exception of the smaller and more pale pink flowers, its appearance corresponds to the appearance of Lophophora Fricii.
Lophophora williamsii (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M.Coult.: Globular or somewhat flattened glaucous green or greyish green spineless cactus up to 6 cm tall, 12 cm diameter, with a woolly top; It has a large taproot which may extend over 25 cm below ground level.
Lophophora williamsii var. caespitosa Y.Itô: This name is used to indicate a number of clones of horticultural origin characterized by a more or less accentuated production of axillary shoots that in age grow and form huge cushions.
Lophophora williamsii var. caespitosa f. variegata hort.: variegated form.
Lophophora williamsii var. cristata Houghton: There is an impressive array of cristates which forms glaucous green, dull bluish or greyish green, very succulent contorted and convoluted brain-like mounds. They are some of the more striking and priced crested cacti.
Lophophora williamsii var. echinata (Croizat) Bravo
Lophophora williamsii var. fricii (Haberm.) Grym: Beautiful variety with large intensive pink pink flowers.
Lophophora williamsii var. fricii f. cristata hort.: crested form.
Lophophora williamsii var. fricii f. variegata hort.
Lophophora williamsii var. fricii cv. Marbles: has wide and well developed rounded tubercles. Seems to be a pretty variable plant with several clones.
Lophophora williamsii subs. grymi Halda, J.Kupčák & Sladk.: Solitary or in group with 6-10 prominent straight ribs with low polygonal tubercles with short brownish wool. Flowers large pinkish-white.
Lophophora williamsii var. jourdaniana (Haberm.) hort.: It has rose-violet or dark pink-red perianth, pistil and filaments with small long persisting spines on young areoles. Old plant forms a dense cluster or mound.
Lophophora williamsii var. lewinii (Henn. ex Lewin) J.M.Coult.: Long areolar hairs.
Lophophora williamsii var. pentagona Croizat: All heads 5-ribbed.
Lophophora williamsii var. pluricostata Croizat: Ribs always numerous.
Lophophora williamsii var. texana Frič ex Kreuz.: (or texensis ) is the phenotype from the Texas area (USA), this local form has very grey pruinose stems with numerous flat ribs (up to 14 in adult specimens).
Lophophora williamsii cv. Kikko: This odd cultivar is easily distinguishable for its ± wide and long pointed tubercles along the bumped ribs edges. Seems to be a pretty variable plant with several clones. Lophphora fricii For Sale.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Terry, M. 2013. “Lophophora fricii.” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 December 2014.
2) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
3) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
4) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006
5) Edward F. Anderson “Peyote: The Divine Cactus” University of Arizona Press, 1996
6) Šnicer Jaroslav, Kunte Libor, Pavlíček Pavel “Kaktusy za oknem i ve skleníku” Grada Publishing a.s., 31 August 2004.