So thats where the seeds come from? I have never seen a cacti produce flowers or fruit in person, just pictures of flowers.

I cant wait for the day that my bridgesii decides to flower. I dont know how old the cutting was when I received it, but I have been growing it for two years now and have not had any flowers yet. It does put out two pups each year though, so I am pretty happy with that.

I need to get me a loph though. Wish they were not illegal in the states. Would be cool to just walk into a garden store and purchase them like you can trichs.

For the reasons set out in this Memorandum Opinion and Order, the Court holds that, pursuant to 21 C.F.R. § 1307.31 (1990), the classification of peyote as a Schedule I controlled substance, see 21 U.S.C. § 812(c), Schedule I(c)(12), does not apply to the importation, possession or use of peyote for bonafide ceremonial use by members of the Native American Church, regardless of race. PUBLIC LAW 103-344 [H.R. 4230]; October 6, 1994
http://thesingingstone.c...ally-neutral-regulation/

Non-Indian member of Native American church was indicted for importing peyote through mail and possessing it with intent to distribute. He moved to dismiss. The District Court, Burciaga, Chief Judge, held that: (1) permitting Indians' nondrug use of peyote in bona fide religious ceremonies of Native American church, but prohibiting such use by non- Indians, would violate free exercise and equal protection clauses; (2) compelling interest test applied to free exercise challenge to prosecution of non-Indian member, and (3) prosecution would violate free exercise clause. Motions granted.
http://www.lectlaw.com/files/drg27.htm

The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, ensuring that there is no prohibition on the free exercise of religion -Wikipedia

there are typically two forms of Lophophora Williamsii showing themselves to be quite distinct from each other. They are called, L. Williamsii “southern type” (with its centre at Entronque Huizache), and L. Williamsii “northern type” (centered around Saltillo, Coahuila).
The “southern type” centered around Huizache does not have a single root, but instead, individual sprouts or buds will develop their own tuberous roots, becoming quite independent of the mother plant. This is in sharp contrast to the growth strategy of the other forms.

In comparison to the so-called northern type, the L. Williamsii from Huizache is always heterogamous. Moreover, they differ in the structure of the flower, whose style is longer and the white stigma is much smaller than the northern form resembling that of L.Diffusa.

The northern form (from Saltillo, Coahuila), is extremely resistant to unfavourable conditions of drought, cold, water, pests and fungi, compared to the other varieties and is always autogamous (self pollinating). The flowers are robust with broad rounded petals of a very pale pink to white color, and bear a prominent pink midstripe, growing to between 1 and 2.2cm in diameter. The tube is short, the style is short and white, and the stigma is fleshy and pink-tinted. The stamens are white, reaching beyond the stigma, and the anthers are yellow to orange. Typically the plants flower from March through September, but as I have learned if the proper conditions are met the plant will flower all year long. Peyote flowers, in contrast to those of other cactus genera, have naked ovaries, or the absence of scales on the ovary wall – a character shared with the flowers of many other cacti. In Lophophora, all floral parts are borne on the perianth tube above the ovule-containing cavity.

One curious and under-reported observation is that these cacti have thigmotactic anthers. This means that as its anthers are touched they curl over, depositing their pollen. This movement can be seen by gently poking the anthers of an open Lophophora flower. Thus one of the slowest growing plants in the world makes one of the fastest plant movements.

Pollen of Lophophora is highly variable. Pollen of the Dicotyledonae tend to have three apertures. Peyote pollen varies greatly in aperture number, the northern population having 0 to 18 and the southern population 0 to 6. The grains are spherical, polyporate, with reticular exine bearing small spicules, and 40 to 53 micrometers in diameter. The carrying numbers of colpae or apertures produce about twelve different geometric shapes. Such a variety from a single species or even population is rare in flowering plants.

The pink cylindrical fruits develop and remain hidden in the apical wool for about a year (in my personal experience, given proper conditions fruits will appear in three to four months from flowering); then elongate rapidly at maturity to protrude above the woolly centre of the plant. The fruits of Lophophora are similar to those of Obregonia in that usually only the upper half contains seeds, whereas Ariocarpus fruits are completely filled with seeds. These seeds are black and verrocuse (warty), with a large, flattened, whitish hilum, about 1 mm. in diameter. http://magicactus.com/description.html#fricii

Lophophora Williamsii var. texana?

Lophophora Williamsii var. Menchaca?

There is also the problem of finding someone willing to send the peyote. Most people, such as myself, are under the impression its illegal unless you belong to a native american tribe. I know that in Arizona there is a church that you can visit and pay a fee in order to go onto their sacred land and they give you peyote to consume. Peyote Way Church of God or something like that.

I have always known of the religious use defense, but I am always skeptical that it would actually hold up in court. Its nice to know that is how its viewed in colorado though, as that is one of the places I may move to in the next couple years.

How about washington state and Oregon, do they follow the same things if your a member of the NAC?

I have often thought of becoming of member of the NAC, but I dont know if that would really protect me legally with anything such as cannabis and entheogens here in my home state. Especially since I have no native american ancestry that I know of.

Given the will, finding Loph seeds should not present anyone any difficulties.



Here are photo's of my other specimens, currently without fruit although I've harvested seeds from (most of) them before.

First, one of the same variety as before.
Then one of what looks to be a different variety.
Then two different caespitosa specimens.

Sorry, some of the pictures came out less well than they could have done!

The pink cylindrical fruits develop and remain hidden in the apical wool for about a year (in my personal experience, given proper conditions fruits will appear in three to four months from flowering); then elongate rapidly at maturity to protrude above the woolly centre of the plant. The fruits of Lophophora are similar to those of Obregonia in that usually only the upper half contains seeds, whereas Ariocarpus fruits are completely filled with seeds. These seeds are black and verrocuse (warty), with a large, flattened, whitish hilum, about 1 mm. in diameter.
http://www.magicactus.com/description.html

Propagation of Lophophora

Propagation is through seed, or cuttings which can be accelerated by grafting.
In the wild, peyote will take three to fifteen years before reaching a point of flowering maturity. If conditions are controlled to that of optimum, these same plants can grow to a point of flowering maturity within two to three years or less. And if one wishes to really speed up the process of growing mature plants from seed, then grafting is the way to go. If one starts out by grafting one, two, or three month old seedling, it is possible to get flowers that produce viable seed about six months later.

How do I know? From personal experience. In fact, I have personally been able to achieve a flowering plant from seed by grafting within seven months of planting the seed. The same plant put out its first fruit with seed by its tenth month. For those that are a little nervous to try their hand at grafting or just prefer a hard grown plant from seed I also have good news. When proper conditions are offered one can have a plant flowering within as little as one year and a half, just as in the picture you see here below. This batch of Lophophora Williamsii was planted December 14th 2006, and put out its first flower by June 11th 2008. If I can do this, I am sure that anyone with the desire to grow such a beautiful plant can too... and that means you!!
http://www.magicactus.com/propagation.html