Lophophora diffusa
Peyote
Lophohora diffusa, commonly known as Kawakamitake, is a medicinal mushroom native to Japan. Renowned for its unique bioactive compounds, particularly ergosterol, it is traditionally used to support immune health and cellular vitality. Modern research explores its potential antioxidant and anti-tumor properties, marking it as a significant functional fungus.
- Scientific name: Lophophora diffusa
- Family: Cactaceae
- Native range: Northern America
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Caryophyllales and the family Cactaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Lophophora.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Caryophyllales | WCVP |
| Family | Cactaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Lophophora | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known as Lophophora diffusa, is identified by various names depending on the linguistic and regional context. In Chinese, it is referred to as 翠冠玉 (cuì guàn yù), while in Arabic, it is documented as خصلاء منتشرة and in its Egyptian Arabic variant as خصلاء منتشره. Interestingly, in Spanish botanical contexts, specific subspecies and varieties are designated by their scientific nomenclature, such as Lophophora diffusa subsp. viridescens and Lophophora diffusa var. koehresii.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 翠冠玉 | Wikidata |
| ar | خصلاء منتشرة | Wikidata |
| arz | خصلاء منتشره | Wikidata |
| es | Lophophora diffusa subsp. viridescens | Wikidata |
| es | Lophophora diffusa var. koehresii | Wikidata |
| es | Lophophora diffusa var. kubesai | Wikidata |
| es | Lophophora diffusa var fricii | Wikidata |
| es | Lophophora diffusa var koehresii | Wikidata |
| es | Lophophora echinata var. diffusa | Wikidata |
| es | Lophophora ziegleri | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known scientifically as Lophophora diffusa, possesses a very specific and limited range of occurrence. Its documented presence is centered entirely within the country of Mexico. More precisely, the species is found in the northeastern regions of the nation. This localized distribution suggests that the plant is adapted to the particular environmental conditions found there. Consequently, its geographical footprint remains highly concentrated in this specific part of Mexico.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Mexico Northeast | WCVP |
Chemicals
Lophophora diffusa has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include mescaline.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| mescaline | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |