Hylocereeae | |
---|---|
Disocactus anguliger | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Cactaceae |
Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
Tribe: | Hylocereeae Buxbaum [1] |
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. The plants known as "epiphyllum hybrids" or "epiphyllums", widely grown for their flowers, are hybrids of species within this tribe, particularly Disocactus , Pseudorhipsalis and Selenicereus , less often Epiphyllum , in spite of the common name. [2]
The members of the tribe are very variable in their morphology, especially when the terrestrial Acanthocereus is included. Many species form aerial roots. The hylocereoid clade (Selenicereus, Weberocereus and probably Aporocactus) are mostly climbing or epiphytic, and have spiny ribbed stems. The phyllocactoid clade (Epiphyllum, Disocactus, Kimnachia and Pseudorhipsalis) are mainly epiphytic, and have spineless flattened leaf-like stems. Flowers and pollination syndromes are equally diverse, ranging from large white nocturnal flowers to bright red flowers opening in the daytime. [3] [4]
The group was first identified by Britton and Rose in 1920 as the subtribe Hylocereinae of the tribe Cereeae (subtribe Hylocereanae of tribe Cereanae in their terminology). [1] [5] In 1958, Buxbaum revised the subtribe Hylocereinae, placing it in a newly created tribe Hylocereeae, [1] which included four other subtribes, some containing genera removed from Hylocereinae, others containing different genera. [6]
The International Cactaceae Systematics Group classification, based on Barthlott & Hunt (1993), recognized six genera within the tribe. [4] [7] Subsequent studies suggested a number of changes, for example including Acanthocereus in the tribe and excluding Strophocactus (which had been sunk into Selenicereus). It was also shown that Hylocereus was nested within Selenicereus. [8] A major molecular phylogenetic study of the tribe was published in 2017. The lefthand cladogram below shows the relationships obtained (using the authors' circumscriptions of the genera and tribe). [3] A 2020 phylogenetic study, which also included morphological features of the stem, produced the righthand cladogram below. This resolved the position of Aporocactus, placing it within the hyloceroid clade, but left relationships within the phyllocactoid clade unresolved. [9]
|
|
The authors of the 2017 study proposed revised circumscriptions of some of the genera and of the tribe to make them monophyletic according to their molecular phylogeny: [3]
The table below compares the 1993 and 2017 classifications.
Barthlott & Hunt (1993) [7] [4] | Korotkova et al. (2017) [3] |
---|---|
– | Acanthocereus |
Disocactus | Aporocactus |
Disocactus | |
Epiphyllum | Epiphyllum |
Hylocereus | Selenicereus (excluding Strophocactus and Deamia) |
Selenicereus | |
Weberocereus s.l. | |
Weberocereus s.s. | |
Pseudorhipsalis | Pseudorhipsalis |
Kimnachia |
The tribe Hylocereeae includes eight genera in the 2017 classification by Korotkova et al. [3]
As of March 2021 [update] , the acceptance of some of these genera varied. For example, Plants of the World Online accepted Aporocactus [10] and the sinking of Hylocereus into Selenicereus, [11] but did not accept Kimnachia. [12]
Selenicereus is the largest genus in the tribe, and is native from Texas though Central America and the Caribbean into South America as far as Northeast Argentina. [11] Other genera have a more restricted distribution within this area; for example, the two species of Aporocactus are native to Mexico. [10]
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 Latin word cereus, meaning candle. The genus is native to the mostly tropical Americas from Texas and the southern tip of Florida to the northern part of South America, including islands of the Caribbean.
Epiphyllum is a genus of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America. Common names for these species include climbing cacti, orchid cacti and leaf cacti, though the latter also refers to the genus Pereskia.
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.
Aporocactus is a genus of cacti in the tribe Hylocereeae native to Mexico. It used to be classified as a subgenus in Disocactus, but according to molecular evidence, it should be excluded from Disocactus and treated as a separate genus.
Hylocereus is a former genus of epiphytic cacti, often referred to as night-blooming cactus. Several species previously placed in the genus have large edible fruits, which are known as pitayas, pitahayas or dragonfruits. In 2017, a molecular phylogenetic study in 2017 confirmed an earlier finding that the genus Hylocereus was nested within Selenicereus, so all the species of Hylocereus were transferred to 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 used, but this is also used for many night-blooming cacti, including Epiphyllum and Peniocereus. In 2017, the genus Hylocereus was brought into synonymy with Selenicereus. A number of species of Selenicereus produce fruit that is eaten. The fruit, known as pitaya or pitahaya in Spanish or as dragon fruit, may be collected from the wild or the plants may be cultivated.
Pseudorhipsalis is genus of cacti. This genus is often included in Disocactus. It is epiphytic, many branched, and elongated with flattened, serrated leaves. In its early life, it stands erect, but soon becomes prostrate. It produces numerous flowers.
Weberocereus is genus of cacti. It produces a green and white flower and is found mainly in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Deamia is a genus of cacti. Its species are native from south Mexico through Central America to Nicaragua. Its species have been placed in Selenicereus and Strophocactus.
Strophocactus is a genus of cacti in the subfamily Cactoideae. Its status and circumscription remain somewhat uncertain, with the genus containing one to three species. Molecular phylogenetic data suggest that it consists of three species, including two formerly comprising the genus Pseudoacanthocereus. With this circumscription, the species have different growth habits, but share similarities in their flowers, which are white and open at night.
The Cactoideae are the largest subfamily of the cactus family, Cactaceae. Around 80% of cactus species belong to this subfamily. As of August 2018, the internal classification of the family 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 and the tribe Echinocereeae. Classifications remained uncertain as of March 2019.
Selenicereus costaricensis or Hylocereus costaricensis, known as the Costa Rican pitahaya or Costa Rica nightblooming cactus, is a cactus species native to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The species is grown commercially for its fruit, called pitaya or pitahaya, but is also an impressive ornamental vine with huge flowers. Its scientific name is problematic for several reasons. The species may not be distinct from Selenicereus monacanthus.
Aporocactus martianus is a species of cactus found in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Strophocactus brasiliensis, synonym Pseudoacanthocereus brasiliensis, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to Brazil. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and hot deserts. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Strophocactus wittii, synonym Selenicereus wittii, known as the Amazon moonflower, is a species of plant in the genus Strophocactus in the cactus family (Cactaceae), and is one of several species commonly called "moonflowers". It was first described in 1900 and is one of three species of cactus found in the central Amazon basin.
Strophocactus sicariguensis, synonym Pseudoacanthocereus sicariguensis, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is native to Colombia and Venezuela. It has often sprawling thin stems and white funnel-shaped flowers that open at night.
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.
Deamia chontalensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to southwestern Mexico and Guatemala. It has sprawling or pendent branched stems and fragrant white flowers.
Deamia testudo is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native from southern Mexico through Central America to Nicaragua. It was first described in 1838. It is a climber or clamberer, with long stems and large white flowers.
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 considerable change, particularly since molecular phylogenetic approaches have been used in determining classifications, and remains uncertain. The tribe includes large treelike species, such as the saguaro, as well as shorter shrubby species. Most members of the tribe are found in desert regions, particularly in Mexico and the southwestern United States.