Schlumbergera orssichiana | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Cactaceae |
Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
Genus: | Schlumbergera |
Species: | S. orssichiana |
Binomial name | |
Schlumbergera orssichiana Barthlott & McMillan | |
Schlumbergera orssichiana is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to a small area of the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil where its natural habitat is moist forest. It grows on trees as an epiphyte. It is in the same genus as the popular houseplant known as Christmas cactus or Thanksgiving cactus. [1]
Schlumbergera orssichiana resembles other species of the genus Schlumbergera in that it has leafless green stems which act as photosynthetic organs. The stems (cladodes) are composed of strongly flattened segments, which have "teeth" of varying shapes along their edges, where there are generally two to three, and at the ends. Individual segments are large, 5–7.5 cm (2.0–3.0 in) long by 3.2–4.5 cm (1.3–1.8 in) wide. [1]
Special structures characteristic of cacti, called "areoles", occur at the end of the segments. The areoles are where the flower buds appear. The large flowers, which open widely, are held at a slight angle to the vertical, with the higher side somewhat different from the lower side (slightly zygomorphic). They usually appear pinkish in overall colour, as the individual tepals shade from white at the centre to red at the tips. Each flower is about 9 cm (3.5 in) long by 9 cm (3.5 in) across. The inner petals are fused at the base to form a short "floral tube", about 10 mm (0.4 in) long, at the base of which nectar is present. The species can be in flower up to three times a year (August, November and March in cultivation in the Northern Hemisphere). [1]
The many stamens are arranged in two series, which is a distinctive characteristic of the genus. The inner stamens are fused at the base to form a short tubular structure. The outer stamens arise from along the floral tube. Each is about 5.5–6.5 cm (2.2–2.6 in) long, with white filaments and yellow anthers and pollen. The style is dark red and has a stigma with 6–8 lobes; the style plus stigma is roughly the same length as the stamens. If the flower is fertilized, a fleshy fruit forms which is greenish yellow to cream with five or six ribs. The dark brown seeds are about 1 mm in diameter. [1]
The species was discovered in the wild by Countess Orssich (hence the specific epithet orssichiana) and cultivated in her garden in Brazil, from where specimens were sent to Europe. It was given a scientific name in 1978 by Wilhelm A. Barthlott and A.J.S. McMillan. S. orssichiana has been hybridized in cultivation with S. truncata to create the hybrid S. × reginae or S. Reginae Group. [2] [3]
S. orssichiana occurs only in the coastal mountains of south-east Brazil, in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, in the southernmost part of the tropics. Sites where it has been found include Morro dos Três Picos in the Serra do Mar and the Serra da Bocaina. Plants are found at altitudes of around 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) Because of their altitude and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the coastal mountains have high humidity – warm moist air is forced upwards into higher, colder locations where it condenses. S. orssichiana grows on trees (epiphytic). [1]
S. orssichiana is mainly grown in the form of its hybrids with other species of the genus, particularly the artificial hybrid S. orssichiana × S. truncata , which has been called S. × reginaeMcMillan or S. Reginae Group. [3] The hybrid S. orssichiana × S. russelliana has also been made in cultivation; it has been given the name S. × epricaSüpplie. [4] Cultivars of both of these two hybrids are sometimes called "The Queens". [5]
These plants and their cultivation are discussed at Schlumbergera: Cultivation.
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word cactus derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek word κάκτος (káktos), a name originally used by Theophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is now not certain. Cacti occur in a wide range of shapes and sizes. They are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north, with the exception of Rhipsalis baccifera, which is also found in Africa and Sri Lanka. Cacti are adapted to live in very dry environments, including the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth. Because of this, cacti show many adaptations to conserve water. For example, almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy parts adapted to store water. Unlike many other succulents, the stem is the only part of most cacti where this vital process takes place. Most species of cacti have lost true leaves, retaining only spines, which are highly modified leaves. As well as defending against herbivores, spines help prevent water loss by reducing air flow close to the cactus and providing some shade. In the absence of true leaves, cacti's enlarged stems carry out photosynthesis.
Schlumbergera truncata, the false Christmas cactus, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to a small area of the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist forests. It is the parent or one of the parents of the houseplants called Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus or zygocactus, among other names.
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 different in appearance from their desert-dwelling cousins. Most species of Schlumbergera have stems which resemble leaf-like pads joined one to the other and flowers which appear from areoles at the joints and tips of the stems. Two species have cylindrical stems more similar to other cacti.
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.
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 Paraguay, and Uruguay. This genus has about 65 species, many of which have been transferred from Eriocactus, Notocactus and Wigginsia. They range from small globose plants to 1 m (3 ft) tall columnar cacti. All are deeply ribbed and spiny, with single flowers at or near the crown. Some species produce offsets at the base. They are popular in cultivation, but must be grown indoors where temperatures fall below 10 °C (50 °F).
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 being removed from the genus, including the well known and widely cultivated ornamental plants known as Easter cactus or Whitsun cactus.
Selenicereus undatus, the white-fleshed pitahaya, is a species of the genus Selenicereus in the family Cactaceae and is the most cultivated species in the genus. It is used both as an ornamental vine and as a fruit crop - the pitahaya or dragon fruit.
Disocactus crenatus, commonly known as the crenate orchid cactus, is a species of cactus cultivated for its large flowers. It is a critical parent plant in creating epiphyllum hybrids commonly cultivated worldwide.
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 widely grown epiphyllum hybrids or "epis". The others are Disocactus speciosus and Disocactus crenatus.
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 grown commercially for its yellow fruit, but is also an impressive ornamental climbing vine with perhaps the largest flowers of all cacti.
Schlumbergera kautskyi is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to a small area of the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil where its natural habitat is rocky areas. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is in the same genus as the popular houseplant known as Christmas cactus or Thanksgiving cactus.
Schlumbergera microsphaerica is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to a limited area of the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil where its natural habitat is rocky areas above 2,600 m (8,500 ft). It is threatened by habitat loss. It is in the same genus as the popular house plant known as Christmas cactus or Thanksgiving cactus.
Schlumbergera opuntioides is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil where its natural habitats are humid forests and rocky areas. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is in the same genus as the popular house plant known as Christmas Cactus or Thanksgiving Cactus.
Selenicereus grandiflorus is a cactus species originating from the Antilles, Mexico and Central America. The species is commonly referred to as queen of the night, night-blooming cereus, large-flowered cactus, sweet-scented cactus or vanilla cactus. The true species is extremely rare in cultivation. Most of the plants under this name belong to other species or hybrids. It is often confused with the genus Epiphyllum.
Johan Albert Constantin Löfgren (1854–1918), known as Albert Löfgren or Alberto Löfgren, was head of the botany department of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden around 1905. The plant currently known as Schlumbergera opuntioides is one of those he first named.
Schlumbergera russelliana is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to a small area of the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil where its natural habitat is moist forest. It grows on trees as an epiphyte. It is one of the parents of many of the popular houseplants known as Christmas cactus or Thanksgiving cactus.
The Rhipsalideae are a small tribe of cacti, comprising four or five genera. 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 and remain open at night; they may be either radially symmetrical (regular) or bilaterally symmetrical (zygomorphic). The fruits are berry-like, fleshy with smallish seeds.
Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri, synonyms Schlumbergera gaertneri and Hatiora gaertneri, is a species of epiphytic cactus which belongs to the tribe Rhipsalideae within the subfamily Cactoideae of the Cactaceae. Together with the hybrid with R. rosea, Rhipsalidopsis × graeseri, it is known, in English speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, as Easter cactus or Whitsun cactus and is a widely cultivated ornamental plant. It has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Schlumbergera lutea, synonym Hatiora epiphylloides, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, subfamily Cactoideae, native to southeast Brazil. It is a shrubby epiphyte, with flattened stems and bright yellow flowers.
Hatiora herminiae is a species of flowering plant in the tribe Rhipsalideae, family Cactaceae. It grows as an epiphyte in cloud forests in Southeast Brazil.