Lophophora

Lophophora (/ləˈfɒfərə/) is a genus of spineless, button-like cacti. Its native range covers Texas through Mexico to southwestern Mexico. The species are extremely slow growing, taking around ten years to reach maturity from seed in the wild. Growth can be accelerated considerably in cultivation by grafting. The slow rate of reproduction and over-harvesting render the species under threat in the wild; both L. williamsii and L. diffusa are assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Lophophora means "crest-bearing", referring to the tufts of trichomes that adorn each tubercle. Lophophora has been reported to have two species, L. diffusa and L. williamsii. Another three species have been proposed by some authors, including Jaroslav Šnicer, Vojtěch Myšák and Jaroslav Bohata: L. fricii, L. koehresii, and L. alberto-vojtechii. Recent DNA sequencing studies (Butterworth et al. 2002) have shown that L. diffusa and L. williamsii indeed are distinct species.