Lophophora williamsii var. pluricostata

Lophophora williamsii var. pluricostata is a form of the well-known peyote distinguished by a consistently high number of ribs and tubercles, which give its soft, button-like crown a densely segmented, many-sided appearance. Where a typical peyote may begin with only about five ribs and reach roughly thirteen at maturity, this form is characterised by reliably numerous ribs, so the woolly areoles crowd together across a finely divided surface. The name (described by Croizat in 1944) is generally treated today as a synonym of the species rather than a distinct plant, and its care follows the parent species, Lophophora williamsii.

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Description

Like all Lophophora, var. pluricostata is a small, spineless, blue-green to grey-green cactus with a firm, dome-shaped body that sits low in the soil and retracts during drought. Its defining trait is that the ribs are consistently numerous: the crown is broken into many narrow ribs and tubercles rather than a few broad ones, giving a busier, more finely segmented look than a low-ribbed peyote. Each tubercle carries a tuft of the pale wool characteristic of the genus, and because the ribs are more numerous the areoles appear more densely and evenly spread across the top of the plant.

Small pink to whitish flowers open from the woolly crown in the warmer months, much as in the type. The many-ribbed character is a matter of degree and can vary from plant to plant, and it is not always stable from seed, so growers select for it among seedlings.

Cultivation

Grow var. pluricostata exactly as for the parent species — see Lophophora williamsii for full detail. In short, it wants bright light, a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, and cautious watering: soak only once the soil has dried right through, and keep it dry and cool through winter. Peyote is naturally slow and long-lived, and overwatering is by far the commonest cause of loss, so err toward keeping it too dry rather than too wet. See Repotting for handling these low-growing, taproot-forming plants.

As with other slow Lophophora, some growers speed young plants along by grafting seedlings onto a vigorous rootstock before growing them on their own roots.

Propagation

Propagation is chiefly by seed, with the grower selecting the more heavily ribbed seedlings to carry the trait forward; expect variation, as the many-ribbed form does not come perfectly true. Peyote can also produce offsets ("pups"), especially after the crown is damaged, and these can be removed and rooted — see Propagation — offsets. See also Propagation — cuttings for general technique.

Legal status

Peyote and its forms contain mescaline, a controlled substance, and this form is subject to the same restrictions as the species. In the United States it is listed under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, and — like the whole cactus family — Lophophora williamsii is listed under CITES Appendix II governing international trade. Some jurisdictions provide narrow exemptions, most notably for bona fide religious use by the Native American Church in the United States. Laws differ widely between countries and states, and growers are responsible for knowing what applies where they live. This article is a horticultural reference only.

See also

• Lophophora — the genus overview
• Lophophora williamsii — the parent species
• Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets

References

Horticultural information for growing these plants as ornamentals. Always confirm plant identification and any handling, grafting, or safety advice against authoritative sources before acting.