''Epiphyllum'' (; "upon the leaf" in
Greek) is a
genus of
epiphytic
An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...
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 the latter also refers to the genus ''
Pereskia
''Pereskia'' is a small genus of about four species of cacti that do not look much like other types of cacti, having substantial leaves and non-succulent stems. The genus is named after Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, a 16th-century French bota ...
''.
Description
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 through red, with numerous petals. Flowers bloom only at night, and wilt at dawn. 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. The broad-leaved epiphyllum (''
Epiphyllum oxypetalum
''Epiphyllum oxypetalum'', the Dutchman's pipe cactus, princess of the night or queen of the night, is a species of cactus. It blooms nocturnally, and its flowers wilt before dawn. Though it is sometimes referred to as a night-blooming cereus, it ...
'') is particularly well-known. It bears large, strongly fragrant flowers that each usually open for a single night only.
The plants known as
epiphyllum hybrids, epiphyllums or just epis, which are widely grown for their flowers, are artificial hybrids of species within the tribe
Hylocereeae, particularly species of ''
Disocactus''. In spite of the common name, the involvement of ''Epiphyllum'' species as parents of epiphyllum hybrids is unconfirmed.
Extant species
, ''
Plants of the World Online
Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...
'' accepts 10 species:
Formerly placed here
*''
Disocactus crenatus
''Disocactus crenatus'', the crenate orchid cactus, is a species of cactus and one of the most important parents in creating the epiphyllum hybrids commonly cultivated throughout the world. It is cultivated for its large white flowers.
Descri ...
''
(Lindl.) M.Á.Cruz & S.Arias (as ''Epiphyllum crenatum''
(Lindl.) G.Don)
*''
Disocactus lepidocarpus
''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'' gro ...
''
(F.A.C.Weber) M.Á.Cruz & S.Arias (as ''Epiphyllum lepidocarpum''
(F.A.C.Weber) Britton & Rose)
*''
Disocactus phyllanthoides
''Disocactus phyllanthoides'', the nopalxochitl or German empress, is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae. It is commonly grown as an ornamental houseplant. It is one of the three major species involved in creating the wi ...
''
(DC.) Barthlott (as ''E. phyllanthoides''
(DC.) Sweet)
References
External links
Epi Species (GotEpis.com) a comprehensive list of genera of epiphytic cacti.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q310964
Night-blooming plants
Epiphytes
Cactoideae genera