Epiphyllum
- For the genus Epiphyllum Pfeiff., see its synonym Schlumbergera.
| Epiphyllum | |
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| Epiphyllum oxypetalum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Tribe: | Hylocereeae |
| Genus: | Epiphyllum Haw. |
| Species | |
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About 19 species, see text. |
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| Synonyms | |
Epiphyllum (
/ˌɛpɨˈfɪləm/;[2] "upon the leaf" in Greek) is a genus of 19 species of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America. Common names for these species include orchid cacti and leaf cacti, though the latter also refers to the genus Pereskia.
The stems are broad and flat, 1–5 cm broad, 3–5 mm thick, usually with lobed edges. The flowers are large, 8–16 cm diameter, white to red, with numerous petals.
The fruit is edible, very similar to the pitaya fruit from the closely related genus Hylocereus, though not so large, being only 3–4 cm long.
Epiphyllums are popular house plants, with numerous hybrids and cultivars. The broad-leaved epiphyllum (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) is particularly well-known. It bears large, strongly fragrant flowers, that bloom for a single night only.
Epiphyllum species are added to some versions of the hallucinogenic drink Ayahuasca.
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[edit] Selected species
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[edit] Formerly placed here
- Disocactus phyllanthoides (DC.) Barthlott (as E. phyllanthoides (DC.) Sweet[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "Genus: Epiphyllum Haw.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2004-02-13. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?4316. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
- ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
- ^ a b "GRIN Species Records of Epiphyllum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?4316. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Epiphyllum |
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Wikispecies has information related to: Epiphyllum |
- Epiphyllum Society of America - the International Registration Authority for epiphytic cactus hybrids of the Tribe Hylocereeae
- Epi Species (GotEpis.com), a comprehensive list of genera of epiphytic cacti.
- Kadupul: the midnight miracle, life cycle of an Epiphyllum flower.
