Epiphyllum

Haworth

Syn. Pl. Succ., 197. 1812.

Common names: Climbing cactus
Etymology: Greek epi, upon, and phyllon, a leaf, referring to flowers borne on leaves, actually phylloclades, leaflike stems
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 178. Mentioned on page 95, 96.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA4 P30 Hylocereus undatus.jpegHylocereus undatus
Selenicereus grandiflorus
Epiphyllum phyllanthus var. hookeri
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers

Shrubs, epiphytic or rarely epipetric, erect to pendent, many branched. Roots diffuse or adventitious along stems. Stems segmented, green, segments leaflike, narrowly elongate-oblanceolate, terete or 3-angled in narrow proximal portion, broadly flattened and bladelike distally, with prominent midvein-like axis, [30–] 50–120+ [–500] × [1.5–] 4–5 [–12+] cm, glabrous; ribs 2 or, on proximal portion and on juvenile stems, 3, rib margins (crests) crenate-undulate to shallow lobed [serrate to pinnatifid in other species]; areoles only in sinuses along rib margins (ca. 2–7 cm apart along rib), circular, woolly, stiff spines absent, sometimes fine, hairlike bristles present; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith mucilaginous. Spines usually absent from adult stems, present and slender on terete and juvenile stems. Flowers nocturnal [diurnal in 2 species], lateral on stem in marginal areoles, with long tube, salverform to funnelform, 8–38 cm; flower tube straight or strongly curved to 90°; outer tepals greenish [to yellow, white, or dull red] often tinged with red, 3–10 cm, margins entire; inner tepals white [to yellow], 3–10 cm, margins entire; ovary scaly, spineless, spiny, or with bristles or hairlike spines; scales small; stigma lobes 8–21, white, extending beyond stamens, ca. 10 mm. Fruits dehiscent along 1 side when mature, light green, red, or purple, smooth [to ridged or angular], ellipsoid to ovoid, [20–] 40–100 × 20–50 mm, fleshy, spineless, spiny, or with bristles or hairlike spines; pulp white or slightly pinkish; floral remnant persistent. Seeds black, reniform, 2–3 × 1–2.5 mm; testa cells shiny or dull when minutely pitted. x = 11.

Distribution

Introduced; tropical regions of s Mexico, West Indies, Central America, n and c South America

Discussion

Species 19 (1 in the flora).

The spineless, leaflike stems of this epiphytic genus make it easy to overlook as a member of Cactaceae. The usually white, nocturnal flowers with long, thin flower tubes, copious nectar, and strong fragrance suggest hawkmoth pollinators for most species.

"+cm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."fine" is not a number.

... more about "Epiphyllum"
cushionlike +
deciduous +  and persistent +
hourglass--shaped +
Michael W. Hawkes +
Haworth +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br /> (120 cm1,200 mm <br />1.2 m <br />) +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
hardened +
triangular +
proliferating +
flattened +  and cylindric +
Climbing cactus +
mucilaginous +
tropical regions of s Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +  and n and c South America +
not separating +
Greek epi, upon, and phyllon, a leaf, referring to flowers borne on leaves, actually phylloclades, leaflike stems +
salverform +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (38 cm380 mm <br />0.38 m <br />) +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
curved +  and straight +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
persistent +, long +  and deciduous +
clavate +, spheric +  and depressed-spheric +
dry +, fleshy +  and juicy +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
deciduous +  and persistent +
rudimentary +
flat +  and terete +
nearly +  and microscopic +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
tuberculate +
fluted;spheric;depressed-spheric or club-shaped +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
deciduous +  and persistent +
mucilaginous +
ridgelike +  and nipple--shaped +
Syn. Pl. Succ., +
pinkish +  and white +
kimnach1964a +
adventitious +
triangular +
arillate +  and strophiolate +
0.4mm;12mm +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
reniform +
0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
bladelike;flattened;3-angled;terete;elongate-oblanceolate;leaflike +
deciduous +  and persistent +
0 (?) +  and 90 (?) +
hairlike +
hard +  and rigid +
decurrent +
unsegmented +
juvenile +  and adult +
terete +  and segmented +
succulent +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (?) +
tuberculate +
adventitious +
tuberlike +
epipetric +  and epiphytic +
Epiphyllum +
Cactaceae subfam. Cactoideae +
dull +  and shiny +
dull +  and glossy +
epipetric;epiphytic +
erect +  and pendent +
barrel-shaped +  and spheric +