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.
Epiphyllum 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 the latter also refers to the genus Pereskia.
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 confirmed an earlier finding that the genus Hylocereus was nested within Selenicereus, so all the species of Hylocereus were transferred to Selenicereus.
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 numerous flowers.
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.
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.
Disocactus crenatus, the crenate orchid cactus, is a species of cactus and a critical parent plant in creating the epiphyllum hybrids commonly cultivated worldwide. It is cultivated for its large white flowers.
Aporocactus flagelliformis, the rattail cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, and is the most cultivated species in the genus Aporocactus. Due to its ease of cultivation and attractive floral displays, it is often grown as an ornamental potted plant.
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.
Disocactus anguliger, commonly known as the fishbone cactus or zig zag cactus, is a cactus species native to Mexico. The species is commonly grown as an ornamental for its fragrant flowers in the fall.
Epiphyllum laui is a cactus species native to Mexico and grown as an ornamental.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Epiphyllum hybrids, epiphyllums, epicacti, or just epis, also known as orchid cacti, which are widely grown for their flowers, are artificial hybrids derived primarily from species of the genus Disocactus. These Disocactus species are not true epiphyllum, but they used to be included in the genus Epiphyllum.
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.
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.
Epiphyllum chrysocardium is an epiphytic cactus native to Mexico, commonly called fern leaf cactus, golden heart epiphyllum, shark tooth cactus and shark fin cactus.
