The peyote (Lophophora williamsii) is a small, spineless cactus which contains psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline. Peyote is a Spanish word derived from the Nahuatl peyōtl, meaning "caterpillar cocoon", from a root peyōni, "to glisten".

It is native to southern North America, primarily found in desert scrub and limestone-rich areas of northern Mexico and south Texas, particularly in the Chihuahuan Desert at elevations of 100–1500 meters. It flowers from March to May, and sometimes as late as September. Its flowers are pink or white, with thigmotactic anthers (like Opuntia). It is a small, spineless cactus that grows in clusters, produces edible fruits, and contains psychoactive alkaloids—primarily mescaline—at concentrations of about 0.4% when fresh and up to 6% when dried.

Peyote is a slow-growing cactus that can be cultivated more rapidly through techniques such as grafting. While wild populations in regions like south Texas have declined due to harvesting, cultivation and the use of alternatives like San Pedro are being explored as potential conservation approaches.

It has been used for over 5,000 years by Indigenous peoples of the Americas for ceremonial, spiritual, and folk medicine purposes. Its effects last up to 12 hours. The Native American Church considers ingestion of peyote a sacrament and uses it in all-night healing ceremonies to connect with the spiritual world. Native American Church members often personify peyote as a divine spirit akin to Jesus. In Wixarika (Huichol) culture, peyote is considered the soul of their religion and a visionary sacrament that connects them to their principal deities—corn, deer, peyote, and the eagle. Peyote and its psychoactive component mescaline are generally controlled substances worldwide, but many laws—including in Canada and the United States—exempt its use in authentic Native American religious ceremonies, with U.S. federal law and some states allowing such ceremonial use regardless of race.

...