Key to the genus Lophophora sensu Šnicer et al.

In the article The Littlest Lophophora Šnicer, Bohata and Myšák detail the discovery of the new species Lophophora alberto-vojtechii and expand on the description originally given in the June 2008 issue of Cactus & Co.

The article also gives a key to the species of Lophophora which are divided into two sections Lophophora and Diffusae. These sections were originally introduced by the same authors in the booklet Genus Lophophora Coulter - Kaktusy special 2, 2005 and the division was based primarily on chemical composition but also on other factors like habitat, incompatibility of the species, rib numbers and morphology. Members of the Lophophora section are characterized by having concentrations of the psychotropic (mind-altering) alkaloid mescaline ranging from 15–30% of the total alkaloid content, while members of the Diffusae section contain a maximum of 1.3% mescaline. Šnicer et al. recognize five species of Lophophora.

SECTION LOPHOPHORA
L. williamsii (Salm-Dyck) Coulter

SECTION DIFFUSAE
L. diffusa (Croizat) Bravo
L. fricii Habermann
L. koehresii (J. Ríha) Bohata, Myšák & Šnicer
L. alberto-vojtechii J. Bohata, V. Myšák & J. Šnicer

The following key to the species of Lophophora assumes that L. alberto-vojtechii is allied with the non-mescaline-prevalent species, i.e. it is placed in the Diffusae section.

KEY TO THE SPECIES OF LOPHOPHORA
1	15–30% mescaline in total alkaloids, epidermis tough and thick	Section Lophophora, L. williamsii
1	Maximum 1.3% mescaline in total alkaloids; thin, fine epidermis	Section Diffusae, 2
2	Seed hilum wide (almost circular), testa not nodulated but reticulated	L. koehresii
2	Seed hilum V–shaped, testa nodulated (outer cell walls protruding), individual testa cells clearly demarcated	3
3	Usually five (rarely eight) ribs, stem solitary in nature, miniature (rarely exceeding 25 mm in diameter)	L. alberto-vojtechii
3	Up to 21 ribs, stem solitary or branching in nature	4
4	Flowers dirty white with touch of yellow (rarely pinkish); fruits white to dark pink, usually pale pink; occurring in Queretaro, Mexico	L. diffusa
4	Flowers usually light pink to dark purple-pink, also white; fruits pink to dark purple-pink (when flower is white the fruit is always dark purple-pink); Coahuila, Mexico	L. fricii

Seed morphology is an important factor in the above key. In their original publication on Lophophora alberto-vojtechii Šnicer et al. included SEM images illustrating the differences between the seeds of the various Lophophora species, these images along with their description are included below (Šnicer et al. attribute the SEM images to Gerhard Köhres; the images below are not scanned from the article but based on the ones included in the online French version of the article - just to make sure that credit is given where credit is due ;-)

Lophophora koehresii seed SEM images
L. koehresii has a seed testa structure that is completely different from the other lophophoras. The hilum is wide open, and is almost circular. The testa is not nodulated (the outer cell walls do not protrude above the surface of the seed), but is reticulated [characterized by or having the form of a grid or network], and the cell walls are flat to even. The individual cells of the testa almost merge together. The seed in the pictures is from San Francisco in San Luís Potosí.

Lophophora alberto-vojtechii seed SEM images
L. alberto-vojtechii has round black seeds, 1.15 to 1.45 mm long and 1.0 to 1.45 mm wide. The hilum is compressed into a broad V shape. The perimeter of the hilum consists of a pronounced edge. The testa is nodulated with the outer cell walls protruding. The individual cells of the testa are clearly demarcated. The seed in the pictures is from the type location in San Luís Potosí.

Lophophora fricii seed SEM images
L. fricii has oval seeds, 1.5 mm long and 1.2 mm wide with the hilum compressed into a V shape. The testa is black, relatively coarsely nodulated, with an oval tubercle structure; the tubercles get smaller near the hilum. The individual cells of the testa are clearly demarcated. The seed in the pictures is from El Amparo in Coahuila.

Lophophora diffusa seed SEM images
L. diffusa has seeds which vary greatly in terms of shape and size. The hilum is compressed into a broad V shape. The testa is coarsely nodulated with the outer cell walls protruding. The individual cells of the testa are clearly demarcated. The seed in the pictures is from Niñas Las Palmas in Querétaro.

Lophophora williamsii seed SEM images
L. williamsii has seeds that are 1-1.5 mm long and black. The hilum is compressed into a broad V shape. The testa is nodulated with the outer cell walls protruding. The individual cells of the testa are clearly demarcated. The seed in the pictures is from Mazapil in Zacatecas.

Gymnocalycium calochlorum with fruit

I have only one Gymnocalycium calochlorum (Mina Clavero, Córdoba, Argentina) plant in my collection and it flowers freely every summer (I’m not sure if this should be put in the past tense as I’m uncertain if the plant survives this winter’s hard frost; the photos in this post are all from the summer of ‘09).


Gymnocalycium calochlorum with ripe, split fruit

The last time the G. calochlorum plant flowered I self-pollinated it and as the pictures show my efforts (as well as the plant ;-) bore fruit. My experience with Gymnocalycium is very limited and I don’t know if these plants in general are self-fertile – anyway, this one bore fruit and the coming spring will show if the seeds are actually any good.


G. calochlorum with ripe fruit and newly pollinated flower

I’m pretty certain that the seeds are the result of selfing – of course I can’t say for absolutely sure but I hand pollinated the flowers and none of the (very few) other gymnos in my collection were flowering at the time. Theoretically the seeds could be the result of some freak hybridization but that doesn’t seem very plausible, as most of the other cacti in my collection are of North American origin and not closely related to Gymnocalycium at all.


Gymnocalycium calochlorum fruit with exposed seeds

I pollinated two flowers that both set fruit. The last fruit is still growing on the plant.

The power of grafting – 4th anniversary

Four years ago today, I grafted a tiny Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Tx) seedling onto a robust Trichocereus pachanoi stock. The Lophophora scion has since grown to a width of 8 cm (~3.2'') and set 6 offshoots - the total width including the offshoots exceeds 13 cm (~5.1'').


Grafted Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Tx)

The plant flowered throughout summer last year and many of the resulting seed pods are ready to be harvested. This season's first flower already appeared last week and the remains can be seen in the photo below.


Lophophora williamsii - ready for seed harvest

Last year's flowers were allowed to self-pollinate with minimal human intervention. Today I harvested all freely exposed fruits and left the rest to fully mature. So far the result seems good as the plant set a lot of seed, time will show if it is viable.


Dried Lophophora williamsii fruit

Many of the fruits have a dry and brittle husk that is easily ripped and some of them almost spilled open when harvested. I probably ought to harvest the seeds sooner and not allow the fruits to sit and dry on the plant for too long.


Ripped Lophophora williamsii fruit with seeds exposed

As mentioned the plant has set lots of (selfed) seeds: the initial harvest totalled 101 seeds and there are still a few fruits left on the plant to be harvested later.


101 home grown Lophophora williamsii seeds

For comparison you can check the posts on the same graft as one, two, and three years old.

The power of grafting – 3rd anniversary

Today one of my Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Tx) plants is celebrating its 3rd anniversary as a scion grafted onto a Trichocereus pachanoi stock. The plant has set 4 offshoots and grown to a width of 7.3 cm (~2.9''), 3 of the offshoots are wider than 4 cm (~1.6'') while the smallest just exceeds 2.5 cm (~1'').


Grafted Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Tx)

The plant set 9 flowers last year and has already displayed two flowers this year. The dried fruits resulting from last season’s flowers are clearly visible in the above photo along with the withered remains of the two “fresh” flowers from this week. The photo below was taken a couple of days ago while the flowers were still at their peak.


Two early Lophophora williamsii flowers

Usually I assist the plant with its self-pollination but this season I will not interfere. I’m doing this to test to which degree the plant will be able to set seed without any help – of course I can’t do anything about the thigmotropic reactions of the stamens or insects taking liberties with the flowers ;-)

A couple of days ago a flower bud also appeared on the largest of the offshoots and it will probably bloom within a week; unfortunately I will not be home to witness it. If all the offshoots begin to flower and the main shoot continues to flower in its usual pace, I’ll soon grow more seeds than I’ll ever need.


Offshoot setting a flower

Since last summer the Trichocereus pachanoi stock has also been allowed to grow an offshoot. Usually I remove these from stock plants in order not to starve the scion, but this one appeared almost at soil level and I decided to let it grow and later graft one of last years Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Tx) seedlings onto it (these seedlings are the result of self-pollinating the above plant, i.e. technically they are clones of the mother plant). I had planned to do the graft today, but I’ll leave for the Netherlands tomorrow and decided to postpone doing the graft till I’m back.


Trichocereus pachanoi stock with offshoot

I was in doubt whether or not to include the last photo but decided to do it anyway. I’m fascinated by the dreamy image of the flowers backlit by the soft light of the setting sun, filtered through the foliage of a sprawling Bowiea volubilis. My girlfriend finds the picture boring and “too green” – but who is she to trust, she’s not into cacti ;-)


Flowers backlit by the setting sun

For comparison you can check the posts on the same graft written one and two years ago.

Update - April 28, 2007
Fortunately I made it home from the Netherlands in time to experience the pup unfold its first flower. The flower is not as sturdy as those of the main shoot, but what’s to expect from a novice ;-)


Flowering Lophophora williamsii pup

Today I also removed the dried fruits of last season’s flowers and freed the seeds.


9 dried Lophophora williamsii fruits


Close-up of dried Lophophora williamsii fruit

The result of the harvest was approximately 100 seeds.


Home grown Lophophora williamsii seeds

The power of grafting – VIII

My grafted Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Tx) is growing its last fruit this season. The fruit looks ripe and fat so I'm hoping for lots of seeds even though the flower was self-pollinated.


Lophophora williamsii - ripe fruit

Yesterday I harvested the dried fruits produced by the plants second and third flower – both of these flowers were also self-pollinated (I didn’t have a whole lot of plants flowering last year ;-)


Lophophora williamsii - harvested fruits

The fruits are approximately 1 cm (~0.4'') long, only the upper half is containing seeds. The yield from these fruits, each contained 6 seeds, is much better than from the first fruit I harvested.


Lophophora williamsii - seeds

If the seeds are viable I hope to come full circle, growing new seedlings in less than two years after the mother plant was sown!

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The power of grafting - VI

Today I harvested the first seeds from my grafted Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Tx). The fruit appeared mid-September and has been maturing on the plant for some weeks. The photo below shows the fruit on September 17.


Lophophora williamsii fruit

The fruit has been dry and ripe for picking for a while now – as illustrated by the next photo, taken just before the fruit was removed.


Dry Lophophora williamsii fruit

I blame it on the self-fertilization; the fruit only contained 3 seeds that looked OK and 2 that weren’t fully developed. It will be interesting to see if any of the seeds are viable.


Lophophora williamsii seeds


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