Cactoideae
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The Cactoideae are the largest subfamily of the cactus family,
Cactaceae A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...
. Around 80% of cactus species belong to this subfamily. , the internal classification of the
family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Cactaceae remained uncertain and subject to change. A classification incorporating many of the insights from the molecular studies was produced by Nyffeler and Eggli in 2010. Various revisions have been published since, e.g. to the tribe
Hylocereeae The Hylocereeae are a tribe of cacti. Most are found in the tropical forests of Central and northern South America, and are climbers or epiphytes, unlike most cacti. The tribe includes between six and eight genera in different circumscriptions ...
and the tribe
Echinocereeae The Echinocereeae are a tribe of cacti in the subfamily Cactoideae. Since 2006, the tribe has included the former tribe Pachycereeae in many treatments of cactus classification. The exact circumscription of the tribe has been subject to considera ...
. Classifications remained uncertain .


Tribes and genera

, the
National Center for Biotechnology Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) is part of the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM), a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is approved and funded by the government of the United States. The ...
used the division of the subfamily into tribes shown below. Some revisions to the circumscriptions of the tribes are also shown. *
Blossfeldieae ''Blossfeldia'' is a genus of cactus (family Cactaceae) containing only one species, ''Blossfeldia liliputiana'', native to South America in northwestern Argentina (Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca and Mendoza Provinces) and southern Bolivia ...
**''
Blossfeldia ''Blossfeldia'' is a genus of cactus (family Cactaceae) containing only one species, ''Blossfeldia liliputiana'', native to South America in northwestern Argentina (Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca and Mendoza Provinces) and southern Bolivia ...
'' * Browningieae **''
Armatocereus ''Armatocereus'' (from Latin ''armatus'', "armed" and ''cereus'', "pliant/soft") is a genus of mostly tree-like cacti from South America (Ecuador and Peru). These species have a conspicuous constriction at the end of the annual growth. The flowe ...
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Browningia ''Browningia'' is a genus of cacti, comprising 11 accepted and 3 unresolved species. It is named for Webster E Browning (1869-1942), director of the Instituto Inglés, Santiago, Chile. Synonymy Synonyms of this genus are: *''Azureocereus'' Ak ...
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Neoraimondia ''Neoraimondia'' is a genus of medium to large cacti from Peru. The genus is named after the Italian-born Peruvian explorer, naturalist, and scientist, Antonio Raimondi. It is a psychoactive cacti and its different cacti have been known to co ...
'' – '' Stetsonia'' *
Cacteae Cacteae is a tribe of plants of the family Cactaceae found mainly in North America especially Mexico. , the internal classification of the family Cactaceae remained uncertain and subject to change. A classification incorporating many of the insi ...
**''
Acharagma ''Acharagma'' is a genus of two cactus species from northern Mexico. Description These cacti are usually solitary but sometimes occur in small clusters. The globose stems tend to be about 3–7 cm in diameter. The ribs have tubercles, wit ...
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Ariocarpus ''Ariocarpus'' is a small genus of succulent, subtropical plants of the family Cactaceae. The name comes from the ancient Greek "aria" (an oak type) and "carpos" (=fruit) because of the resemblance of the fruit of the two genus in acorn form. ...
'' – '' Astrophytum'' – ''
Aztekium The genus ''Aztekium'' contains three species of small globular cactus. Discovered in 1929 by F. Ritter, in Rayones, Nuevo León, Mexico, this genus was thought to be monotypic (with ''Aztekium ritteri'') until a second species ('' Aztekium hint ...
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Coryphantha ''Coryphantha'' (from Greek, "flowering on the top"), or beehive cactus, is a genus of small to middle-sized, globose or columnar cacti. The genus is native to arid parts of Central America, Mexico, through Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas ...
'' – '' Cumarinia'' – ''
Echinocactus ''Echinocactus'' is a genus of cacti in the subfamily Cactoideae. The generic name derives from the Ancient Greek εχινος (''echinos''), meaning "spiny," and ''cactus''. It and ''Ferocactus'' are the two genera of barrel cactus. Members ...
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Echinomastus ''Echinomastus'' (meaning "spiny breast") is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus ...
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Epithelantha ''Epithelantha'' (button cactus) is a genus of cactus that is native to north-eastern Mexico, and the south-western United States from western Texas to Arizona. There are eight species recognised in the genus ''Epithelantha''. The name ''Epithela ...
'' – ''
Escobaria ''Escobaria'', pincushion cactus or foxtail cactus is a genus of low-growing cacti that range from the southernmost parts of central and western Canada through northern Mexico, with one species in Cuba. The genus comprises about 23 species. The ...
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Ferocactus ''Ferocactus'' is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, mostly with large spines and small flowers. There are about 30 species included in the genus. They are found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Description The y ...
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Geohintonia ''Geohintonia mexicana'' (discovered in 1992) is a species of cacti, the only species in the genus ''Geohintonia''. This genus is named after its discoverer George S. Hinton. As its specific epithet suggests, the plant is found in Mexico ( Nuevo ...
'' – '' Glandulicactus'' – ''Homalocephala'' (see ''
Echinocactus ''Echinocactus'' is a genus of cacti in the subfamily Cactoideae. The generic name derives from the Ancient Greek εχινος (''echinos''), meaning "spiny," and ''cactus''. It and ''Ferocactus'' are the two genera of barrel cactus. Members ...
'') – '' Kadenicarpus'' – ''
Leuchtenbergia ''Leuchtenbergia'' is a genus of cactus which has only one species, ''Leuchtenbergia principis'' (agave cactus or prism cactus). It is native to north-central Mexico ( San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua). The genus is named after Maximilian Eugen Joseph ...
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Lophophora ''Lophophora'' () is a genus of spineless, button-like cacti. Its area range covers southern through northeastern and north-central Mexico to Querétaro in central Mexico. The species are extremely slow growing, sometimes taking up to thirty ye ...
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Mammillaria ''Mammillaria'' is one of the largest genera in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 200 known species and varieties recognized. Most of the mammillaria are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest United States, the Caribbea ...
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Obregonia ''Obregonia'', the artichoke cactus, is a monotypic genus of cacti, containing the species ''Obregonia denegrii''. The species is endemic to the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico. The genus ''Obregonia'' is named after Álvaro Obregón, while the ...
'' – '' Ortegocactus'' – ''
Pediocactus ''Pediocactus'' (Greek: πεδίον (pedion) means "plain", "flat", "field") is a genus of cacti. The genus comprises between 6 and 11 species, depending upon the authority. Species of this genus are referred to as hedgehog cacti, though that ...
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Pelecyphora ''Pelecyphora'' is a genus of cacti, comprising 2 species. They originate from Mexico. ''Pelecyphora'' is known for its medicinal properties and may have been utilized as a psychoactive in the same way as ''Lophophora williamsii''. It is know ...
'' – '' Rapicactus'' – ''
Sclerocactus ''Sclerocactus'' ("hard cactus", from Greek; refers to the hard, dry fruit) is a genus of cacti. It comprises about 15 species, the exact number depending on the authority. These species are very xerophytic. They are sometimes called 'fishhook ...
'' – '' Stenocactus'' – '' Strombocactus'' – ''
Thelocactus ''Thelocactus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae. Members of the genus are native to the arid lands of Central and Northern Mexico. Description ''Thelocactus'' species are globe-shaped, short and cylindrical. They ...
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Turbinicarpus ''Turbinicarpus'' is a genus of very small to medium-sized cacti, which inhabit the north-eastern regions of Mexico, in particular the states of San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Zacateca ...
'' *
Cereeae Cereeae are a tribe of cactus belonging to the Cactoideae The Cactoideae are the largest subfamily of the cactus family, Cactaceae. Around 80% of cactus species belong to this subfamily. , the internal classification of the family Cactaceae ...
**'' Arrojadoa'' – ''
Brasilicereus ''Brasilicereus'' is a genus of cactus, cacti known only from Brazil and comprising 2 species. Species References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q140077 Cactoideae Cactoideae genera Cacti of South America Endemic flora of Brazil ...
'' – '' Cereus'' – '' Cipocereus'' – '' Coleocephalocereus'' – ''
Melocactus ''Melocactus'' (melon cactus), also known as the Turk's cap cactus, is a genus of cactus with about 30–40 species. They are native to the Caribbean, western Mexico through Central America to northern South America, with some species along the A ...
'' – '' Micranthocereus'' – '' Praecereus'' – '' Uebelmannia'' *
Echinocereeae The Echinocereeae are a tribe of cacti in the subfamily Cactoideae. Since 2006, the tribe has included the former tribe Pachycereeae in many treatments of cactus classification. The exact circumscription of the tribe has been subject to considera ...
**(''Acanthocereus'' is placed in Hylocereeae) –'' Austrocactus'' – ''
Bergerocactus ''Bergerocactus emoryi'' is a species of cactus, known commonly as the golden-spined cereus, golden snake cactus, velvet cactus or golden club cactus. It is a relatively small cactus, but it can form dense thickets or colonies, with the dense ye ...
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Carnegiea The saguaro (, ) (''Carnegiea gigantea'') is a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus ''Carnegiea'' that can grow to be over tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains ...
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Cephalocereus ''Cephalocereus'' is a genus of slow-growing, columnar-shaped, blue-green cacti. The genus is native to Mexico. Description These cacti show a columnar and upright growth habit, and may be branched or unbranched reaching heights of 10 to 12 met ...
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Corryocactus ''Corryocactus'' is a genus of cacti. The genus was formerly placed in the tribe Notocacteae. It has also been placed in the tribe Echinocereeae. A 2011 molecular phylogenetic study excluded the genus from the "core" Echinocereeae, commenting t ...
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Echinocereus ''Echinocereus'' is a genus of ribbed, usually small to medium-sized, cylindrical shaped cacti, comprising about 70 species native to the southern United States and Mexico in very sunny, rocky places. Usually the flowers are large and the fruit ...
'' – '' Escontria'' – '' Jasminocereus'' – ''
Leptocereus ''Leptocereus'' is a genus of cacti native to the Greater Antilles. It has been placed in the tribe Leptocereeae or in a broadly defined Echinocereeae The Echinocereeae are a tribe of cacti in the subfamily Cactoideae. Since 2006, the tribe ...
'' – ''
Lophocereus ''Lophocereus'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and b ...
'' – '' Myrtillocactus'' – ''
Pachycereus ''Pachycereus'' is a genus of 9–12 species of large cacti native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, United States. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 15 m tall, with stout stems up to 1 m in diameter. ''Pachycereus'' comes fr ...
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Peniocereus ''Peniocereus'' is a genus of vining cactus, cacti, comprising about 18 species, found from the southwestern United States and Mexico. They have a large underground tuber, thin and inconspicuous stems. Its name comes from the prefix ''penio-'' ( ...
'' – '' Pfeiffera'' – '' Pilosocereus'' – '' Polaskia'' – ''
Stenocereus ''Stenocereus'' ( Gk. ''stenos'', narrow, L. ''cereus'', candle) is a genus of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela an ...
'' – '' Stephanocereus'' – '' Strophocactus'' *
Hylocereeae The Hylocereeae are a tribe of cacti. Most are found in the tropical forests of Central and northern South America, and are climbers or epiphytes, unlike most cacti. The tribe includes between six and eight genera in different circumscriptions ...
**''
Acanthocereus ''Acanthocereus'' is a genus of cacti. Its species take the form of shrubs with arching or climbing stems up to several meters in height. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ''άκανθα'' (''acantha''), meaning spine, and the L ...
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Deamia ''Deamia'' is a genus of Cactus, cacti. Its species are native from south Mexico through Central America to Nicaragua. Its species have been placed in ''Selenicereus'' and ''Strophocactus''. Description Species of ''Deamia'' are climbing or pende ...
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Disocactus ''Disocactus'' is a genus of epiphytic cacti in the tribe Hylocereeae found in Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. It should not be confused with ''Discocactus'', which is a different genus. Species of ''Disocactus'' g ...
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Epiphyllum ''Epiphyllum'' (; "upon the leaf" in Greek) is a genus of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America and South America. Common names for these species include climbing cacti, orchid cacti and leaf cacti, though ...
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Kimnachia ''Kimnachia'' is a monotypic genus of cacti. Its only species is ''Kimnachia ramulosa'', synonym ''Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa'', which is native from southern Mexico to northern South America and also found in Jamaica. Description ''Kimnachia r ...
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Pseudorhipsalis ''Pseudorhipsalis'' is genus of cacti. This genus is often included in ''Disocactus''. It is epiphytic, many branched, and elongated with flattened, serrated cladodes. In its early life, it stands erect, but soon becomes prostrate. It produces n ...
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Selenicereus ''Selenicereus'', sometimes known as moonlight cactus, is a genus of epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial cacti, found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The term night-blooming cereus is also sometimes ...
'' (including ''Hylocereus'') – ''
Weberocereus ''Weberocereus'' is genus of cacti. It produces a green and white flower and is found mainly in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Description The species of the genus ''Weberocereus'' grows climbing or hanging, epiphytic or lithophytic. Their shoots, whi ...
'' * Lymanbensonieae **'' Calymmanthium'' – '' Lymanbensonia'' *
Notocacteae Notocacteae is a tribe of cactus, cacti belonging to the subfamily Cactoideae. It is one of the oldest cactus lineages endemic to South America. Genera References

Notocacteae, Caryophyllales tribes {{Cactus-stub ...
**''
Copiapoa ''Copiapoa'' is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, from the dry coastal deserts, particularly the Atacama Desert, of northern Chile. Description It comprises 32 morphologically defined species and 5 heterotypic subspe ...
'' – '' Eriosyce'' – '' Eulychnia'' – ''
Frailea ''Frailea'' is a genus of globular to short cylindrical cacti native to South America. These species are cleistogamous. They were first classified in the genus '' Echinocactus''. Species Species accepted by the Plants of the World Online P ...
'' – '' Neowerdermannia'' – '' Notocactus'' – ''
Parodia ''Parodia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cactaceae, native to the eastern slopes of the Andes in northwestern Argentina and southwestern Bolivia and in the lowland pampas regions of northeastern Argentina, southern Brazil, eastern ...
'' – '' Rimacactus'' – '' Thelocephala''  – ''
Yavia ''Yavia cryptocarpa'' is a species of cactus (family (biology), family Cactaceae) and the only species of the newly discovered genus ''Yavia''. The genus is named after Argentina's department Yavi, Yavi, Jujuy Province, where the plant is endemis ...
'' *
Rhipsalideae The Rhipsalideae are a small tribe of cacti, comprising four genera (and around 60 species). They grow on trees (epiphytes) or on rocks ( lithophytes), where they either hang down or form creeping or upright shrubs. Their flowers open in the day ...
**''
Hatiora ''Hatiora'' is a small genus of epiphytic cacti which belongs to the tribe Rhipsalideae within the subfamily Cactoideae of the Cactaceae. Recent taxonomic studies have led to the three species formerly placed in subgenus ''Rhipsalidopsis'' be ...
'' – '' Lepismium'' – ''
Rhipsalis ''Rhipsalis'' is a genus of epiphytic flowering plants in the cactus family, typically known as mistletoe cacti. They are found in parts of Central America, the Caribbean and northern regions of South America. They also inhabit isolated location ...
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Schlumbergera ''Schlumbergera'' is a small genus of cacti with six to nine species found in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. These plants grow on trees or rocks in habitats that are generally shady with high humidity, and can be quite differen ...
'' *
Trichocereeae Trichocereeae is a tribe of cactus that are particular to South America. There are 25 recognized genera in this tribe. Description Arborescent to shrubby, Trichocereeae normally form unsegmented, spherical to columnar stems that are usually ribb ...
**'' Acanthocalycium'' – '' Arthrocereus'' – '' Aylostera'' – ''
Brachycereus The lava cactus is a species of cactus, ''Brachycereus nesioticus'', the sole species of the genus ''Brachycereus''. The plant is a colonizer of lava fields – hence its common name – where it forms spiny clumps up to tall. Its solitary whit ...
'' – '' Cleistocactus'' – ''
Denmoza ''Denmoza'' is a genus of cactus found in Argentina, comprising only 2 species. The name of the genus is an anagram of the western province of Mendoza. These species grow slowly and stay globulous during a long period before becoming shortly c ...
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Discocactus ''Discocactus'' is a genus of Tropics, tropical cactus, cacti. The name comes from the ancient Greek ' (=disc) because of its shape. ''Discocactus'' plants are endemic to southern Brazil, eastern Bolivia, and northern Paraguay. These species ar ...
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Echinopsis ''Echinopsis'' is a large genus of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cactus, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. One small species, ''E. chamaecereus'', is known as the peanut cactus. The 128 species range from l ...
'' – '' Espostoa'' – '' Espostoopsis'' – ''
Facheiroa ''Facheiroa'' is a genus of cacti that is endemic to Brazil. Species It is comprised by 8 species in the 2 subgenera of ''Facheiroa'' and ''Zehntnerella''. Species include: The genus ''Zehntnerella'' ( Britton & Rose A rose is eithe ...
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Gymnocalycium ''Gymnocalycium'', commonly called chin cactus, is a genus of about 70 South American species of cactus. The genus name ''Gymnocalycium'' (from Greek, "naked calyx") refers to the flower buds bearing no hair or spines. Their main area of distrib ...
'' – '' Haageocereus'' – '' Harrisia'' – '' Leocereus'' – ''
Matucana ''Matucana'' is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing approximately 20 species of mostly globular plants. The genus is only known from Peru, mostly along the Marañón River. The first species was discovered near the town of Matuca ...
'' – '' Mila'' – '' Oreocereus'' – ''
Oroya ''Oroya'' is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), originating from Peru. The name comes from the Peruvian town of la Oroya La Oroya is a city on the River Mantaro in central Peru. It is situated on the Andes some 176 km east-north-e ...
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Pygmaeocereus ''Pygmaeocereus'' is a genus of diminutive cactus, cacti (family (biology), family Cactaceae). It is native to South America. These species generally do not reach more than high, and produce a large tuberous root system and scented night flow ...
'' – '' Rauhocereus'' – ''
Rebutia ''Rebutia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cactaceae, native to Bolivia and Argentina. They are generally small, colorful cacti, globular in form, which freely produce flowers that are relatively large in relation to the body. They ...
'' – '' Reicheocactus'' – '' Samaipaticereus'' – '' Weberbauerocereus'' – ''
Weingartia '' Weingartia'' is a genus in the family Cactaceae, with species native to Bolivia and Argentina. Distribution Andes mountains of central and south Bolivia and northwest Argentina at elevations of 1600 – 3600 m. Description Plants usua ...
'' – '' Yungasocereus''


References

Caryophyllales subfamilies {{Cactaceae-stub