''Hylocereus'' is a former genus of epiphytic

cacti 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 ...

, often referred to as night-blooming cactus (though the term is also used for many other cacti). Several species previously placed in the genus have large edible fruits, which are known as pitayas, pitahayas or dragonfruits. In 2017, a

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

study confirmed an earlier finding that the genus ''Hylocereus'' was nested within ''Selenicereus'', so all the species of ''Hylocereus'' were transferred to '' Selenicereus''.

Description

The species previously placed in the genus ''Hylocereus'' grow hanging, climbing or epiphytic. They are freely branched, shrubby plants that form aerial roots and become very large with a height of 10 m or more. The green, often glaucous shoots are usually terete or triangular.

Taxonomy

In the 1994 classification of the International Cactaceae Systematics Group of the

International Organization for Succulent Plant Study The International Organization for Succulent Plant Study (IOS) describes itself as a "non-governmental organization promoting the study and conservation of succulent and allied plants and encouraging collaboration among scientists and curators ...

, the genus ''Hylocereus'' was one of the six genera of the tribe Hylocereeae., p. 101 A 2011 study of the molecular phylogeny of the Cactaceae concluded that neither the tribe nor the genus was

monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...

(i.e. neither comprised all the descendants of a common ancestor). Two species of ''Hylocereus'' formed a

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

with two species of '' Selenicereus'', suggesting that the genera were not distinct. This result was confirmed in a larger study in 2017, and all the species of ''Hylocereus'' were transferred to ''Selenicereus''.

Species

Species that were placed in the genus in 2012 that are now placed in ''Selenicereus'' include the following. *''Hylocereus calcaratus'' → '' Selenicereus calcaratus'' *''Hylocereus costaricensis'' → '' Selenicereus costaricensis'' *''Hylocereus escuintlensis'' → '' Selenicereus escuintlensis'' *''Hylocereus megalanthus'' → ''

Selenicereus megalanthus ''Selenicereus megalanthus'', synonym ''Hylocereus megalanthus'', is a cactus species in the genus ''Selenicereus'' that is native to northern South America, where it is known, along with its fruit, by the name of ''pitahaya''. The species is gr ...

'' *''Hylocereus monacanthus'' → '' Selenicereus monacanthus'' *''Hylocereus minutiflorus'' → '' Selenicereus minutiflorus'' *''Hylocereus ocamponis'' → '' Selenicereus ocamponis'' *''Hylocereus setaceus'' → ''

Selenicereus setaceus ''Selenicereus setaceus'', synonym ''Hylocereus setaceus'', is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropi ...

'' *''Hylocereus stenopterus'' → '' Selenicereus stenopterus'' *''Hylocereus triangularis'' → '' Selenicereus triangularis'' *''Hylocereus trigonus'' → '' Selenicereus trigonus'' *''Hylocereus undatus'' → ''

Selenicereus undatus ''Selenicereus undatus'', the white-fleshed pitahaya, is a species of the genus '' Selenicereus'' (formerly ''Hylocereus'') in the family Cactaceae and is the most cultivated species in the genus. It is used both as an ornamental vine and as a f ...

References

CactiGuide: ''Hylocereus''
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q133960, from2=Q14928251 Historically recognized angiosperm genera Cacti of North America Night-blooming plants

Description

Taxonomy

Species

See also

References