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Peyote is a small, spineless cactus native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, known scientifically as Lophophora williamsii. It's prohibited in Mexico. The cactus grows to a height of 2 to 7 cm and a diameter of 4 to 12 cm, with the part above ground called the "corona." This corona consists of disk-shaped sections that contain mescaline, a psychoactive compound. Peyote flowers, which can be white, pink, slightly yellow, or reddish, bloom during the day and measure 1 to 2.4 cm in length and 1 to 2.2 cm in diameter. After flowering, small pink fruits appear, which turn brownish-white when dried. These fruits are fleshy and contain black, pear-shaped seeds that are about 1 to 1.5 mm long and 1 mm wide. Peyote has a bitter taste. The cactus thrives in limestone soils and thorny desert scrub at altitudes between 100 to 1,500 meters above sea level, which helps protect it from predators. Peyote grows very slowly, taking over 30 years to mature and flower. Within its genus, L. williamsii has the highest concentration of mescaline. Mescaline, a compound similar to dopamine, has psychedelic effects primarily due to its interaction with 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors, though its affinity is lower than that of LSD-25. A psychoactive dose of mescaline is about 5 mg per kg of body weight, with each peyote button containing around 45 mg. The effects begin about 30 minutes after oral ingestion, as mescaline is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. The oldest peyote plants have the highest mescaline content, which varies from 0.7% to 3.5% by weight, depending on environmental conditions and soil quality.