User:Cactus.expert.43/sandbox
| Hylocereus monacanthus | |
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| Species: | monacanthus
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| Binomial name | |
| Hylocereus monacanthus | |
The Night-blooming Cereus;Hylocereus monacanthus, is a species of cactus native to Northern South America, Panama, and the Caribbean[1].
Distribution
[edit]Hylocereus monacanthus is native to Northern South America, Panama, and the Caribbean[1].
Habitat and Ecology
[edit]Hylocereus monacanthus is widely distributed in deciduous forest, lowland forest, coastal plains and shrub lands at altitudes ranging from 0 to 2000 meters above sea level. [2] The flowers bloom at night but fade away by the next morning.[3] This species is an Epiphyte that roots in the ground and climbs upwards[4], befitting from a humid environment and direct exposure to sunlight. It develops roots that embed themselves in the ground and uses adventitious roots to support itself in the ground.
Morphology
[edit]
Individuals of this species are have stems that are gray-green without horny margins. Flowers are approximately 30 cm long with white petals, tinged pinkish near base or entirely pink. The flowers are Hermaphroditic and tubular. The flower Possesses a tube with distant bracts and it's stigma lobes are usually forked. It produces red fruit with purple pulp.[5]
Fruit
[edit]Hylocereus monacanthus produces a red-pink Berry that is about 18 centimeters in diameter. It's pulp is a dark purple with many seeds distributed throughout the fruit.[6] The fruit is posesses spines growing from 1 to 3 centimeters.
Food
[edit]The fruit of Hylocereus monacanthus is slightly sweet, only slightly sour being weakly aromatic. It is usually served fresh and not cooked as it loses most of it's flavor through cooking.[7] The fruit is used in salads and juices with the juice providing use as a salad dressing. The flowers can be cooked and eaten as vegetables. [8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ Zotz, Gerhard; Schultz, Steffen (2007-06-12). "The vascular epiphytes of a lowland forest in Panama—species composition and spatial structure". Plant Ecology. 195 (1): 131–141. doi:10.1007/s11258-007-9310-0. ISSN 1385-0237.
- ^ S.L, Botanical-online. "Dragon fruit plant". https://www.botanical-online.com/english/dragon-fruit-plant.htm. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ^ "On-line Guide to the positive identification of Members of the Cactus Family". cactiguide.com. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ Bárcenas, Rolando T.; Yesson, Chris; Hawkins, Julie A. (2011-10). "Molecular systematics of the Cactaceae". Cladistics. 27 (5): 470–489. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2011.00350.x.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ S.L, Botanical-online. "Dragon fruit plant". https://www.botanical-online.com/english/dragon-fruit-plant.htm. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ^ "Red Dragon Fruit: Hylocereus cf. monacanthus". Flora obscura. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ S.L, Botanical-online. "Dragon fruit plant". https://www.botanical-online.com/english/dragon-fruit-plant.htm. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website=