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Cactaceae

(Family)

Overview

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Fleshy perennials, shrubs, trees or vines, terrestrial or epiphytic. Stems jointed, terete, globose, flattened, or fluted, mostly leafless and variously spiny. Leaves alternate, flat or subulate to terete, vestigial, or entirely absent; spines, glochids (easily detached, small, bristlelike spines), and flowers always arising from cushionlike, axillary areoles (modified short shoots) . Flowers solitary, sessile, rarely clustered and stalked (in Pereskia), bisexual, rarely unisexual, < span class="toolTipElement" title="Actinomorphic ::(Gr. aktis: ray; morphe: form) Descriptive of a flower or set of flower parts which can be cut through the center into equal and similar parts along two or more planes; having radial symmetry. Cf. zygomorphic.">actinomorphic or occasionally zygomorphic. Receptacle tube (hypanthium or perianth tube) absent or short to elongate, naked or invested with leaflike bracts, scales, areoles, and hairs, bristles, or spines; perianth segments usually numerous, in a sepaloid to petaloid series. Stamens numerous, variously inserted in throat and tube; anthers 2-loculed, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary (pericarpel) inferior, rarely superior, 1-loculed, with 3 to many parietal (rarely basal) placentas; ovules usually numerous; style 1; stigmas 2 to numerous, papillate, rarely 2-fid. Fruit juicy or dry, naked, scaly, hairy, bristly, or spiny, indehiscent or dehiscent, when juicy then pulp derived from often deliquescent funicles (except in Pereskia) . Seeds usuall y numerous, often arillate or strophiolate; embryo curved or rarely straight; endosperm present or absent; cotyledons reduced or vestigial, rarely leaflike.

About 110 genera and more than 1000 species: temperate and tropical America; Rhipsalis baccifera (J. S. Mueller) Stearn native in tropical Africa, Madagascar, Comoros, Mascarenes, and Sri Lanka; som e species of other genera now extensively naturalized in the Old World through human agency; more than 60 genera and 600 species cultivated as ornamentals or hedges in China, of which four genera and s even species more or less naturalized.[1]

Photos

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Taxonomy

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The Family Cactaceae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

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Acanthocalycium

Acanthocalycium is a of cactus consisting of three species from Argentina. The taxon name comes from Greek akantha (meaning prickly) and kalyx (meaning buds), which refers to the spines on the floral tubes. [more]

Acanthocereus

Shrubs, erect to arching, clambering, or climbing, often sparingly branched, sometimes forming impenetrable thickets. Roots diffuse, adventitious where arching stems touch soil. Stems segmented or unsegmented, green, greatly elongate, angled, 30-400[-700] × (4-) 6-10 cm; ribs 3-5[-7], narrowly triangular to winglike, very prominent, 3-5 cm deep, less than 1 cm thick, rib crests undulate; areoles widely spaced, located next to sinuses, 2-5 cm apart along ribs, circular to oval, short woolly. Spines [0-]4-10 per areole, diffusely spreading, brown or reddish [white, yellowish, or black], aging gray, ± straight, acicular to subulate, terete or somewhat flattened, longest spines 10-40[-70] mm, hard; radial spines [0-]6-8 per areole, 5-25 mm; central spines [0-]1-2[-4] per areole, 0-40 mm. Flowers nocturnal, lateral to terminal on stems 1 or more years old, at adaxial edge of areoles, funnelform, [11-]14-20[-25] cm; outer tepals green or purple tinged, lanceolate-linear, 3-5 × 1 cm; inner tepals white, broadly linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 5-15 × 1-4 cm, margins entire or minutely denticulate; ovary minutely scaly, spiny [spineless], with short wool; stigma lobes 10-15, white, to 12 mm. Fruits indehiscent or irregularly dehiscent longitudinally, red to red-purple, spheric, ovoid, ellipsoid, oblong, or pyriform, 30-80[-120] mm, fleshy or juicy [tough in A. columbianus], scaly, spiny [or spineless]; scales deciduous; pulp red; floral remnant persistent. Seeds black, broadly obovoid, to 4.8 mm, smooth and shiny; testa cells flat. x = 11.[2] [more]

Acantholobivia

Echinopsis is a large of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cacti, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. One small species, E. chamaecereus, is known as the peanut cactus. The 128 species range from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines. [more]

Acanthorhipsalis

Lepismium is a of mostly epiphytic cacti, with a dozen species. They are found in tropical South America. [more]

Acharagma

Acharagma is a of two small cacti species from northern Mexico. [more]

Airampoa

Opuntia, also known as (see below), or Paddle Cactus from the resemblance to the ball-and-paddle toy, is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae. [more]

Akersia

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Aloinopsis

Aloinopsis is a relatively small genus of from South Africa, whose genus name stands for "similar to an Aloe". [more]

Ancistrocactus

Plants erect, unbranched (few branched from near base), sometimes deep-seated in substrate with only broad top visible. Roots diffuse, short, succulent taproots, or tuberlike. Stems unsegmented, dark green or dark gray-green to pale blue-green, spheric to cylindric, sometimes stipitate, 2-9(-15) × 2-8(-10) cm; ribs 8 or 13 (0 in young, tuberculate plants), indistinct (in A. brevihamatus) or distinct (in A. scheeri), crests deeply notched adaxial to each areole, making ribs prominently tuberculate; tubercles slightly coalesced into ribs with advancing age of plant, ± conic, protruding 1 cm or less on young plants and of ribs on adults; areoles ca. 12-18 mm apart along ribs, nearly circular at sexual maturity, newer areoles more elongate, on oldest parts of stem adaxially forming narrow grooves extending to axils, felted; areolar glands often conspicuous within grooves, hemispheric; cortex and pith conspicuously mucilaginous. Spines 10-26 per areole, sparse to densely obscuring stems, grayish, whitish, or yellowish, reddish or blackish in proximal and distal portions, acicular or somewhat flattened, to almost papery, minutely canescent; longest spines 9-25(-45) × 0.4-0.8 mm; radial spines 7-22 per areole, straight, longest spines 5-18(-29) × 0.1-0.5 mm; central spines (3-) 4(-5) per areole (solitary abaxial central spine plus straight, flat adaxial central spines), principal central spine porrect, hooked (absent on immature plants and youngest adults of some A. brevihamatus populations). Flowers diurnal, near stem apex at adaxial edges of areoles on young adults, at axillary ends of short areolar grooves in older plants, funnelform, often narrowly so, expansion often restricted by adjacent spines, 2.5-4 × 1.5-4 cm; outer tepals entire to denticulate; inner tepals seldom showy: white, brown, pink, yellow, or green (brightest green in some A. scheeri), 2.5-17(-24) × 0.6-5(-7) mm, margins entire; ovary sparsely scaly, spineless, hairless; scales minutely fringed; stigma lobes 4-10, white, green, yellowish, or rose-pink, 1.5-2.5 mm. Fruits indehiscent, green, sometimes suffused pink or brownish purple, drying to yellowish, tan with dull pink tinge, or white, ovoid to cylindric, (9-) 15-25(-31) × (3-) 6-9 mm, weakly succulent (sometimes drying to a papery shell), scaly, spineless, hairless; floral remnant persistent. Seeds black or very dark reddish brown, spheric to helmet-shaped or reniform, 1.5-2 mm, glossy, papillate or minutely so; testa cells flat to weakly convex. x = 11.[3] [more]

Anhalonium

Ariocarpus is a of 8 species of succulent, subtropical plants of the Cactaceae family. [more]

Anisocereus

[more]

Aporocactus

Disocactus is of epiphytic cacti from Mexico to South America. It should not be confused with Discocactus, which is another genus. [more]

Aporoheliocereus

[more]

Aporophyllum

[more]

Aposeris

[more]

Arequipa

A Genus in the Kingdom Plantae. [more]

Arequipiopsis

Oreocereus is a of cacti (family Cactaceae), known only from high altitudes of the Andes. Its name was formed from Greek and means "mountain cereus". [more]

Ariocarpus

Plants erect, unbranched [or branched], deep-seated in the substrate [or somewhat subterranean for whole seasons]. Roots taproots. Stem unsegmented, gray-green (yellow-green or purplish with age or stress), above-ground portion flat, concave, or weakly hemispheric, usually flush with soil surface and cryptic, strongly tuberculate, 0-2(-10) × [3-]5-10(-15) cm, hard, rigid, tough skinned [thin skinned in A. agavoides of Mexico]; tubercles arranged in rosettes or mosaics, ± triangular, 8-20[-60] × [3-]11-25 mm, hard, exposed faces of tubercles strongly differentiated from sides [except in some Mexican species], prominently fissured [wrinkled, roughened, or nearly smooth]; areoles elongate [circular and axillary, circular and subapical, or 2-parted], forming a wide woolly groove on each tubercle; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith not mucilaginous, "mucilage" restricted to elongate cavities. Spines absent [sporadic and rudimentary in some Mexican taxa]. Flowers diurnal, borne in axils of tubercles near stem apex, broadly funnelform to almost salverform, 1.5-5 × 1.5-5 cm; outer tepals brownish or greenish with pink tinge, 12-35 × 5-9 mm, margins entire; inner tepals pink or magenta [white or yellow], 13-34 × 4-10 mm, margins entire; ovary smooth (scales, hairs, and spines absent) ; stigma lobes 5-10, white, 1.2-5 mm. Fruits indehiscent (very rarely explosively dehiscent), white or cream to pale greenish [reddish], spheric to clavate or cylindric, proximally or almost completely buried in copious wool of stem apex, 10-25 × 5-10 mm, initially fleshy, drying and collapsing a few days after ripening, scales and spines absent; pulp white to pale greenish; floral remnant apparently persistent. Seeds black, spheric to obovoid, 1.2-1.6(-2.5) mm, minutely tuberculate, shiny; testa cells strongly convex (conspicuous with lens). x = 11.[4] [more]

Armatocereus

Armatocereus (from armatus, "armed" and cereus, "pliant/soft") is a genus of mostly tree-like cacti from South America (Colombia, Ecuador to Peru). These species have a conspicuous constriction at the end of the annual growth. The flowers are mostly white, with more or less spiny ovary. The fruits are mostly spiny. [more]

Arrojadoa

Arrojadoa is a of cacti, comprising about 10 species and several varieties. It is named after the Brazilian Miguel Arrojado Lisboa. The genus occurs only in northern Brazil and is found at rocky places, under shrubs, which support their frail stalk. They are subtropical plants, with very little frost tolerance. [more]

Arthrocereus

Arthrocereus is a of cactus, originating from southern Minas Gerais (Brazil). [more]

Astrophytum

Plants stem succulents, unbranched [to several branched from base], mostly low and deep-seated in substrate [taller in Mexican species]. Roots diffuse. Stem unsegmented, dark green or gray-green, hemispheric or depressed-spheric [to spheric or short cylindric], (2.5-) 6-15(-60) [-100] × 6-10(-20) cm, speckled [or entirely hidden] by numerous tufts of dense, whitish, multicellular hairs less than 0.5 mm; ribs [4-]8-10, crests uninterrupted, straight [to sinuous and/or helically curving around stem], broad and nearly flat or rounded [sharp or keeled]; areoles distinct, [2-]6-9[-20] mm apart along ribs, circular; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith hard, not mucilaginous. Spines absent [1-25 per areole in some Mexican species]. Flowers diurnal, near stem apex, at adaxial edge of areoles, funnelform, 4.5-5.4[-8] × 3.8-5.2[-6] cm; inner tepals yellow, proximally red [all yellow], 25 × 6-10[-12] mm, margins entire; ovary sparsely to densely scaly, axils spineless long hairy with arachnoid trichomes, distal scales spine-tipped; stigma lobes [8-]10-12, yellow [pale yellowish], 4 mm. Fruits indehiscent or splitting irregularly, green or pinkish to red, ovoid to spheric, 15-20 × 12 mm, initially fleshy, drying immediately after ripening, sparsely to densely scaly with spine-tipped scales; axils of scales long woolly, spineless; floral remnant persistent. Seeds dark brown to blackish, appearing hollow or bowl-shaped from strongly expanded, inrolled rim around sunken hilum, 2-3 mm in greatest dimension, nearly smooth; testa cells very slightly convex. x = 11.[5] [more]

Austrocactus

Austrocactus is a of cacti. [more]

Austrocephalocereus

Micranthocereus is of cactus. It originates from Brazil and includes 9 species. [more]

Austrocylindropuntia

Austrocylindropuntia is a of cacti (family Cactaceae). There are 11 recognized species, which were once included in the genus Opuntia. [more]

Aylostera

Rebutia K. Schum. is a in the family Cactaceae, native to Bolivia and Argentina. [more]

Aztekium

The Aztekium contains only two species of small globular cactus. Discovered in 1929 by F. Ritter, in Rayones, Nuevo León, Mexico, this genus was thought to be monotypic (with Aztekium ritteri) until a second species (Aztekium hintonii) was discovered by George S. Hinton, in Galeana, Nuevo León in 1991. [more]

Azureocereus

It is reputed to be psychoactive. [more]

Backebergia

Pachycereus is a of 9-12 species of large cacti, native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, USA. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 5-15 m or more tall, with stout stems up to 1 m diameter. [more]

Bartschella

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Bergerocactus

Shrubs, ascending to erect, spreading, or reclining, usually much branched near base, forming thickets. Roots diffuse. Stems somewhat segmented, green, long cylindric, 30-150 × 3-5(-6) cm, glabrous; ribs (12-) 14-18, rounded; tubercles low, indistinct; areoles to 10 mm apart on rib crests, circular, felty; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith mucilaginous. Spines 30-45 per areole, straw colored, aging brown, acicular, terete; radial spines 6-13 mm; central spines 1-3 per areole, to 60 mm, longest spines bend downward. Flowers diurnal, lateral to terminal on stems, from adaxial edge of areole, never on first-year shoots, funnelform, 3.5-5 cm; flower tube 15-20 mm; tepals 12-20 mm; outer tepals yellow with green or reddish midstripes and tips, oblanceolate; inner tepals yellow, oblanceolate to oblong; ovary subglobose, spines usually absent; scales deltate to ovate or awl-shaped, 1-4 mm, margins entire, with tannish hairs in axils, spiny or spineless; stigma lobes 9-11, pale yellow, 4-5 mm. Fruits dehiscent by extruding ribbon of pulp with seeds through apical pore, green with reddish tubercles, spheric, 25-30 mm, juicy, becoming dry after dehiscence, densely spiny like stems; pulp red; floral remnant persistent. Seeds black, obovoid, 2-3 mm, glossy; testa cells ± flat to slightly concave. x = 11.[6] [more]

Binghamia

Cupido is a genus of in the family Lycaenidae. The genus Everes is sometimes included here. [more]

Bisnaga

Bisnaga can be: [more]

Blossfeldia

Blossfeldia is a of cacti, comprising the smallest cactus species. The genus is named after Harry Blossfeld. Some authorities only recognize one species in this genus (Blossfeldia liliputiana). [more]

Bolivicactus

[more]

Bolivicereus

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Bonifazia

Disocactus is of epiphytic cacti from Mexico to South America. It should not be confused with Discocactus, which is another genus. [more]

Borzicactella

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Borzicactus

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Brachycalycium

Gymnocalycium, commonly called chin cactus, is a genus of about 70 species of cacti. The genus name Gymnocalycium (from Greek, "naked calyx") refers to the flower buds bearing no hair or spines. [more]

Brachycereus

The lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) is a of cactus and the sole species of the genus Brachycereus. The plant, known uniquely from Bartolomé Island of the Galapagos, is a colonizer of lava fields, hence its common name. [more]

Brasilicactus

Parodia is a of cacti. This genus has about 50 species, ranging from small globose plants to 1-m tall columnar cacti. [more]

Brasilicereus

Brasilicereus is a of cacti known only from Brazil and comprising 2 species. [more]

Brasiliopuntia

Brasiliopuntia is a in the cactus family Cactaceae. [more]

Brasiliparodia

Parodia is a of cacti. This genus has about 50 species, ranging from small globose plants to 1-m tall columnar cacti. [more]

Brasilopuntia

[more]

Bravocactus

[more]

Bridgesia

Bridgesia is a genus of in the family Sapindaceae. The sole species, Bridgesia incisifolia, is a shrub native to South America in Chile. [more]

Brittonia

Ferocactus is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, mostly with large spines and small flowers. There are about 30 species included in the genus Ferocactus. They are found in south-western USA and north-western Mexico. The young specimen are columnar but as they grow older ribs form and they take on a barrel form. Most of the species are solitary but some, such as Ferocactus robustus and F. glaucescens form clumps. The flowers are pink, yellow, red or purple depending on the species, and the petals sometimes have a stripe of a darker color. They are desert dwellers and can cope with some frost and intense heat. In cultivation they require full sun, and little water but good drainage. The propagation is usually from seeds. [more]

Brittonrosea

Echinocactus is a of large barrel-shaped cacti, usually with large spines and small flowers. The generic name derives from the Ancient Greek e????? echino- "spiny" and cactus. Other types of Barrel Cactus are assigned to genus Ferocactus. [more]

Browningia

It is reputed to be psychoactive. [more]

Buiningia

Coleocephalocereus is a of erect and semi-erect columnar cacti from Brazil. These species develop a cephalium with wool and bristles. [more]

Cactus

A cactus (plural: cacti') is any member of the plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas. They are often used as , but some are also crop plants. Cacti are grown for protection of property from wild animals, as well as many other uses. Cacti are part of the plant order Caryophyllales, which also includes members like beets, gypsophila, spinach, amaranth, tumbleweeds, carnations, rhubarb, buckwheat, plumbago, bougainvillea, chickweed and knotgrass. [more]

Calymmanthium

Calymmanthium is a of primitive tree-like cacti from northern Peru. It is the only genus belonging to the tribe Calymmantheae. [more]

Carnegia

The Saguaro, pronounced , (Carnegiea gigantea) is a large, -sized cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora , and an extremely small area of California. The saguaro blossom is the state flower of Arizona. [more]

Carnegiea

Trees, 1-10-branched or unbranched, massive with trunk, main branches erect or ascending from near midstem of trunk (secondary branches absent except where injured). Roots diffuse. Stems unsegmented, green, columnar, gigantic, 500-1500 × 25-75 cm; bark gray, well developed only near base and over stem wounds; ribs 19-26 or, on young plants, 11-15, broadly triangular in cross section, rib crests rounded, flat, neither tuberculate nor notched between areoles (slightly raised tubercles on distal stems of old plants) ; areoles 1 cm apart along ribs, circular, elliptic, or shield-shaped, with dense, tannish white to gray hairs; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith not mucilaginous. Spines (8-15-28(-50) per areole, tannish white to beige or grayish, acicular, rigid, terete, flattened, or angular, hard; radial spines (8-) 15-20(-50) per areole, flattened against ribs or spreading, 10-20 mm; central spines (0-) 4-7 per areole, diffusely spreading, 30-50 × 10-15 mm. Flowers nocturnal, but remaining open next day, mostly terminal to subterminal on stems (also lateral), from adaxial edges of areoles, funnelform-salverform with short tube, 8.5-14 cm; tepals all strongly reflexed; outer tepals green, 2-2.5 cm, margins whitish, undulate; inner tepals waxy white, 2-3.5 × 1-1.8 cm, margins entire or undulate; ovary tuberculate, minutely scaly; scales triangular, small, axils usually without hairs or spines (sometimes flexible bristlelike spines present) ; stigma lobes ca. 10, tannish white, ca. 12 mm. Fruits dehiscent by 2 or more vertical splits from apex, dark red, obovoid to ellipsoid, 45-95 × 25-45 mm, apex truncate, occasionally with thin white spines; pulp bright red, sweet; floral remnant persistent. Seeds reddish black, obovoid, 1.5 mm, glossy, smooth; testa cells flat. x = 11.[7] [more]

Cassyta

[more]

Castellanosia

It is reputed to be psychoactive. [more]

Cephalocereus

Cephalocereus is a small of slow-growing, columnar-shaped, blue-green cacti. The genus is native to Mexico. For more information see Old-Man Cactus. [more]

Cephalocleistocactus

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Cephalomamillaria

[more]

Cephalophorus

[more]

Cereus

A genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]

Chamaecereus

Echinopsis is a large of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cacti, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. One small species, E. chamaecereus, is known as the peanut cactus. The 128 species range from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines. [more]

Chamaelopsis

[more]

Chiapasia

Disocactus is of epiphytic cacti from Mexico to South America. It should not be confused with Discocactus, which is another genus. [more]

Chilenia

[more]

Chileniopsis

[more]

Chileorebutia

Eriosyce is a of cacti native to Chile. [more]

Chilita

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Cinnabarinea

[more]

Cintia

Cintia knizei is a small alpine native to the high Andes of Bolivia. The plant was discovered by Karel Kníže in 1969 at an elevation of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) near Otavi, in Potosí Department, Bolivia. However, it was not formally described until 1996 by Jan Ríha. The genus is named after the town of Cinti in Chuquisaca Department. [more]

Cipocereus

Cipocereus is a of cacti from Brazil. These species were previously included in the genera Pilosocereus and Cereus. [more]

Clavarioidia

[more]

Cleistocactus

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Clistanthocereus

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Clylindropuntia

[more]

Cochemiea

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Cochiseia

[more]

Coleocephalocereus

Coleocephalocereus is a of erect and semi-erect columnar cacti from Brazil. These species develop a cephalium with wool and bristles. [more]

Consolea

Trees, branched, 1-2[-10] m; trunk erect, indeterminate, unsegmented, terete to elliptic in cross section. Stem segments spreading, often falcate, usually elongate, smooth or distinctly reticulate, sometimes low tuberculate; areoles elliptic or triangular to subcircular, 5-15 mm diam.; wool yellow or tawny to cream. Spines absent or 2-25(-40) per areole, white to brownish yellow, aging gray to black, acicular, the longest (0.5-) 4-10(-12) cm, with epidermis intact, not sheathed. Glochids in tuft at adaxial margin of areole, yellow to brownish. Flowers bisexual (at least appearing so) or functionally unisexual (staminate with closed stigmas or pistillate with no pollen), 2.5-4.5 cm diam.; inner tepals spreading, red [or yellow, orange], rather fleshy; stamens and style not exerted or slightly so; filaments yellow to orange or pinkish, aging pink to red, outer filaments sometimes fused into staminal ring; style and stigma lobes pinkish; ovary usually flattened and upturned (bilaterally symmetric), tuberculate or not; nectar chamber covered by near-basal lateral projection of styles. Pollen 12-porate, finely reticulate, foveolate. Fruits commonly proliferating, green, yellow, or reddish, ovoid or ellipsoid to obovoid, falcate, sometimes flattened proximally, elliptic in cross section, 40-65 × 30-45 mm, fleshy, spiny [or spineless]. Seeds yellowish white, 3-4(-9) mm diam., sides woolly; girdle yellowish, sharply protruding. x = 11.[8] [more]

Copiapoa

Copiapoa is a of cacti from the dry coastal deserts of northern Chile. It comprises about 26 species. These species vary in form from spherical to slightly columnar and in color from a brownish to blue-green body. [more]

Corryocactus

Corryocactus is a of cactus. The genus was formerly placed in the tribe Notocacteae. [more]

Corynopuntia

Opuntia, also known as (see below), or Paddle Cactus from the resemblance to the ball-and-paddle toy, is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae. [more]

Coryphantha

Plants erect, spheric and unbranched or, if branched, then ultimately forming low clumps or small mats. Roots diffuse, succulent taproots (sometimes tuberlike or massive), or in some species ultimately adventitious from bases of branches. Stems unsegmented, hemispheric, spheric, ovoid, or cylindric, sometimes flat-topped, tuberculate, 1-20(-50) × 1-15 cm after sexual maturity; tubercles conic to hemispheric or cylindric, never coalescing into ribs, protruding conspicuously, grooved on their adaxial (upper) sides in sexually mature plants, i.e., areoles of sexually mature plants each consisting of fertile meristem (often woolly) in tubercle axil and spine cluster on tubercle apex, the two connected by a linear isthmus (areolar extension, often short woolly) recessed into an areolar groove on adaxial side of tubercle (groove extends only 1/2-3/4 distance from spine cluster to tubercle axil in C. macromeris) ; areolar glands present or absent; cortex and pith usually mucilaginous or with mucilage confined to flowers and fruits. Spines 3-95 per areole, color various, needlelike (peglike in C. minima), usually differentiated into radial and central spines; radial spines straight or curved; central spines, when present, straight or curved (hooked in C. robustispina), terete, 4-55 mm. Flowers diurnal (sometimes ± vespertine in C. tuberculosa), borne at or near stem apex (lateral in C. recurvata), on new growth of current year and/or last-produced areoles of preceding year (fruiting zone in some species becoming displaced outward and downward by apical vegetative growth after flowering), campanulate or funnelform to nearly salverform with recurved tepals, 1-6.5 × 0.6-10 cm; outer tepals entire or fringed; inner tepals variously colored, never pure red or blue, 4.5-40 × 1-15 mm, often glossy, margins entire, toothed, fringed, or erose; scales on ovary none or few, narrow or rudimentary, entire or erose, axils naked, spineless; stigma lobes 4-13, white to yellow or orange-yellow (rarely pinkish), 0.5-8 mm. Fruits indehiscent, green or red, spheric, ellipsoid, ovoid to narrowly fusiform, or obovoid, 1.5-50 × 1.5-20 mm, usually juicy, sometimes slimy or fleshy (dry in C. minima), scales usually absent (or few), spines absent; pulp colorless to white, greenish, or pinkish; floral remnant persistent or deciduous. Seeds usually reddish brown or black, sometimes yellowish, reniform, comma-shaped, obovoid, or spheric, 0.8-3.5 mm in greatest diam., shiny or glossy; testa smooth, raised-reticulate, or pitted; strophiole (unsclerified tissue in/around hilum) small or large, flat or slightly protruding, never surrounding micropyle, replaced by a narrow raphe in some species (e.g., C. ramillosa) ; sclerified collar between hilum and micropyle short, solid or grooved, nearly open in some species. x = 11.[9] [more]

Cryptocereus

Cullmannia

Peniocereus is a of vining cacti, comprising about 18 species, found from the southwestern United States and Mexico. They have a large underground tuber, thin and inconspicuous stems. [more]

Cumarinia

Coryphantha (from , ""flowering on the top") is a genus of small to middle-sized, globous to short-columnar cacti. The genus is found from Mexico to the South of the United States. With its 2 subgenera, 42 species and 9 subspecies, this is one of the largest genus of cactus. [more]

Cumulopuntia

Cumulopuntia is a of cactus (family Cactaceae). This is a very controversial genus. [more]

Cylindropuntia

Trees or shrubs, rarely forming mats, erect, usually many branched. Stem segments firmly attached to easily dislodged, straight to curved, cylindric to slightly clavate, 2-40(-50) × 0.3-5.5 cm, usually glabrous, tuberculate; areoles elliptic, circular, ovate, obovate, or obdeltate to rhombic, 0.7-5 mm diam.; wool white, yellow, or tan to brown. Spines with whole epidermis sheath deciduous; major spines not or only basally angularly flattened. Glochids usually in tuft at adaxial margin, yellow to brown. Flowers bisexual or sometimes functionally pistillate, radially symmetric; outer tepals green with margins tinged color of the inner; inner tepals yellow-green, yellow to bronze, or red to magenta, spatulate, emarginate-apiculate. Pollen spinulo-punctate, not reticulate (cylindropuntioid type). Fruits, if fleshy, green, yellow, or scarlet, sometimes tinged red to purple or, if dry, tan to brown, cylindric to subspheric, sometimes clavate, fleshy or dry, spineless or spiny; areoles bearing short feltlike wool of various colors, often tan or gray. Seeds pale yellow to tan or gray, flattened to subspheric, angular to squarish or circular, often warped, 1.9-7 mm, commonly bearing 1-4 large depressions per side due to pressure from adjacent developing seeds, glabrous; funicular girdle smooth or with low marginal ridge. x = 11.[10] [more]

Dactylanthocactus

[more]

Deamia

Delaetia

[more]

Dendrocereus

Acanthocereus (published in 1909) is a of cacti. Its species take the form of shrubs with arching or climbing stems up to several meters in height. [more]

Denmoza

Denmoza is a of cactus found in Argentina, comprising only 2 species. The name of the genus is an anagram of the western province of Mendoza. These species grow slowly and stay globulous during a long period before becoming shortly column-shaped, 0.5 to 1.5 cm high. The plant's diameter varies from 15 to 30 cm. [more]

Digitorebutia

[more]

Digitostigma

[more]

Disberocereus

[more]

Discocactus

Discocactus is a of tropical cactus. The name comes from the ancient greek "diskos" (=disc) because of its shape. Discocactus plants are endemic to southern Brazil, eastern Bolivia, and northern Paraguay. These species are in the risk of extinction in the wild. [more]

Disocactus

Disocactus is of epiphytic cacti from Mexico to South America. It should not be confused with Discocactus, which is another genus. [more]

Dolichothele

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Ebnerella

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Eccremocactus

Echinocactus

Plants erect, branched or unbranched, forming compact mounds of 30+ branches, not deep-seated in substrate (or deep-seated in E. texensis and, if plants immature or at high altitude, in E. horizonthalonius). Roots diffuse or short taproots. Stems unsegmented, gray-blue, gray-green, yellow-green, or grass green, flat-topped spheric to short cylindric, 4-40(-45) [-250] × 8-30[-80] cm, apical region appearing copiously woolly (shortly velvety in E. texensis) [glabrous]; ribs (7-) 8-27[-60+], very prominent, straight (or only slightly undulate), sometimes helically curving around stems, broadly rounded to nearly keeled, rib crests uninterrupted or ± constricted between areoles; areoles widely spaced or confluent with age, nearly circular to oblong, with fertile portion as short, broad adaxial prolongation confluent with spine cluster; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith hard, not mucilaginous. Spines (5-) 7-19 per areole, straw colored, pink, red, gray, tan, or brown, conspicuously annulate-ridged, rigid, stiff; radial spines 5-14 per areole, straight to curved, 2-5 cm; central spines 1-4 per areole, straight to curved, terete, flattened, or abaxially ridged. Flowers diurnal, near stem apex, near adaxial edges of short adaxial extensions of areoles, broadly funnelform to nearly salverform (more narrowly funnelform in E. texensis) ; outer tepals margins entire, apically spinose; inner tepals yellow or pink to magenta, 2.4-3.2 × 0.3-1.5 cm, margins entire, serrate, toothed, or erose; ovary scaly, spineless, copiously woolly, with white or pale tan hairs from areoles hiding ovary and flower tube at anthesis; scales 8-60, margins entire or fimbriate, spine-tipped; stigma lobes 6-14(-17), yellow, pink, or olive, 1-4.5 mm. Fruits either indehiscent or rupturing irregularly, or tardily dehiscent through basal abscission pore, whitish tan to pinkish (bright red in E. texensis), spheric to ovoid or ovoid-cylindric, 10-50 × 10-40[-100] mm, usually nearly dry (strongly succulent in E. texensis), many scaled; axils of scales copiously woolly (wool hiding surface of fruits except in E. texensis), spineless, distal scales spine-tipped; pulp red; floral remnant persistent. Seeds reddish brown to black, spheric, or subreniform to obovoid, 2.4-4.7 mm, shiny or dull; testa cells convex or flat. x = 11.[11] [more]

Echinocereus

Plants usually erect, ascending, sprawling, pendent, or decumbent, branched or unbranched, sometimes forming dense mounds to 500 branches, usually not deep-seated in substrate. Roots diffuse (usually a fascicle of several, tuberlike roots greatly exceeding stem diameter in E. poselgeri; sometimes adventitious in E. pentalophus). Stems unsegmented, yellow-green to dark green, spheric to long cylindric, sometimes tapering distally, (1-) 2-70(-130) [-200] × (0.6-) 1-15 cm, less than 40 cm at flowering, skin hard and brittle (less often soft), tuberculate (especially on immature plants) or ribbed; ribs 4-26, crests indistinctly to prominently undulate (irregularly notched or sharply folded if desiccated) ; areoles 1-52 mm apart along ribs, circular to linear, never completely confluent; cortex and pith soft, mucilaginous. Spines (0-) 4-55 per areole, white, yellow, reddish, brown, or black, subulate or acicular to bristlelike, (0-) 3-150 × 0.1-2.5 mm, hard, smooth or microscopically roughened (especially in E. triglochidiatus) ; radial spines (0-) 4-38 (-45) per areole, straight or curved, sometimes pectinately arranged, (0-) 2-40(-50) mm; central spines 0-17 per areole, straight, curved, or twisted, never hooked, terete, elliptic in cross section or variously angled to flattened. Flowers diurnal (a few species remaining open at night) [or nocturnal], bisexual (at least appearing so) or functionally unisexual, ± lateral on stem from year-old areoles (rarely terminal), broadly to narrowly funnelform or short tubular, 20-120 × (10-) 15-150 mm; flower tube 5-26[-50] mm (measured from base of innermost tepals to base of nectar chamber) ; inner tepals pink, red, magenta, orange, yellow, brownish, or greenish (rarely white), proximally a darker or contrasting color or similar to distal portion; ovary smooth to tuberculate, scales usually minute, spines very prominent, areoles woolly; stigma lobes 5-22, green or yellowish green [rarely white or red]. Fruits indehiscent or dehiscent through short longitudinal slits, green, purplish brown, pink, or red, spheric to narrowly obovoid, usually 20-30 mm, juicy, drying quickly, scales minute; areoles spiny, spine clusters usually deciduous at maturity. Seeds black or dark reddish brown, spheric to obovoid, 0.8-2 mm, strongly tuberculate or rugose; testa cells strongly convex, sometimes irregularly confluent into ridges with interstitial pits. x = 11.[12] [more]

Echinofossulocactus

A Genus in the Kingdom Plantae. [more]

Echinofossulucactus

[more]

Echinomastus

Plants erect, usually unbranched, not deep-seated in substrate. Roots diffuse. Stem unsegmented, green, spheric or ovoid to short cylindric, 3-20(-38) × 2-12 cm, glabrous; ribs 13-21, crests deeply notched and usually evidently or prominently divided into tubercles, with fertile portion as short adaxial prolongation confluent with spine cluster or connected to spine cluster by very broad groove, grooves obliterated or obscured by development of flowers; areolar glands absent or present in Sonoran Desert species; cortex hard or firm, cortex and pith mucilaginous. Spines 12-30 per areole, partially or entirely hiding stem surfaces; radial spines 9-26 per areole, straight or curved, 3-37 mm; central spines (0-) 1-9 per areole (central spines of immature plants absent in some species), straight or curved, not hooked [or rarely so in E. unguispinus of Mexico]. Flowers diurnal, near stem apex, from adaxial ends of short areolar grooves, occupying and greatly distorting most of groove, campanulate or funnelform, 2-7.4 × 2-7.4 cm; outer tepal margins entire or undulate; inner tepals white or colorful; ovary scaly, spineless; scales 1-20(-34 in some E. johnsonii), broad, margins scarious, axils naked (or minutely hairy in E. johnsonii) ; stigma lobes red, brown, or green (yellowish white). Fruits indehiscent or splitting longitudinally (only circumscissile near base in E. intertextus), green, brown, or dull pink, spheric to ellipsoid-cylindric, 6-20 × 5-15 mm, scarcely succulent, quickly drying, scaly, hairless, spineless; scales 1-20(-34), broad, scarious; pulp colorless; floral remnant persistent. Seeds black or nearly so, spheric or hemispheric, 1.8-2.5 mm; testa cells strongly convex. x = 11.[13] [more]

Echinopsis

Echinopsis is a large of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cacti, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. One small species, E. chamaecereus, is known as the peanut cactus. The 128 species range from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines. [more]

Edinburghia

[more]

Edraianthus

Efossus

Stenocactus is a of cacti. [more]

Embothrium

Embothrium is a of two to eight species (depending on taxonomic interpretation) in the plant family Proteaceae, native to southern South America, in Chile and adjacent western Argentina and southern Peru; the genus occurs as far south as Tierra del Fuego. Common names include Chilean Firebush in English, and Notro, Ciruelillo, Fosforito in Chilean Spanish. [more]

Emorycactus

Encephalocarpus

Pelecyphora is a of cacti, comprising 2 species. They originate from Mexico. [more]

Enkianthus

Shrubs or small trees, deciduous, rarely evergreen. Leaves clustered at ends of twigs, petiolate; leaf blade serrate or subentire. Inflorescence terminal, in umbels or corymbose racemes, flowers rarely solitary or in pairs, 5-merous. Corolla broadly campanulate to urceolate; lobes short. Stamens much shorter than corolla; filaments flattened, distinctly dilated towards base; anthers oblong, thecae each dehiscing by an elongate slit, awned at apex; pollen grains single. Ovary superior, with few ovules per locule; stigma truncate. Capsule loculicidal, ovoid. Seeds several or one; testa lamellate-winged.[14] [more]

Eomatucana

Matucana is a of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing approximately 20 species of mostly globular plants. The genus is only known from Peru, mostly along the Marańón River. [more]

Epinicereus

[more]

Epiphyllanthus

[more]

Epiphyllopsis

Rhipsalis is a of epiphytic, mostly spineless cacti. They are typically known as mistletoe cacti. The scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek term for wickerwork, referring to the plants' habitus. [more]

Epiphyllum

Shrubs, epiphytic or rarely epipetric, erect to pendent, many branched. Roots diffuse or adventitious along stems. Stems segmented, green, segments leaflike, narrowly elongate-oblanceolate, terete or 3-angled in narrow proximal portion, broadly flattened and bladelike distally, with prominent midvein-like axis, [30-]50-120+[-500] × [1.5-]4-5[-12+] cm, glabrous; ribs 2 or, on proximal portion and on juvenile stems, 3, rib margins (crests) crenate-undulate to shallow lobed [serrate to pinnatifid in other species]; areoles only in sinuses along rib margins (ca. 2-7 cm apart along rib), circular, woolly, stiff spines absent, sometimes fine, hairlike bristles present; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith mucilaginous. Spines usually absent from adult stems, present and slender on terete and juvenile stems. Flowers nocturnal [diurnal in 2 species], lateral on stem in marginal areoles, with long tube, salverform to funnelform, 8-38 cm; flower tube straight or strongly curved to 90°; outer tepals greenish [to yellow, white, or dull red] often tinged with red, 3-10 cm, margins entire; inner tepals white [to yellow], 3-10 cm, margins entire; ovary scaly, spineless, spiny, or with bristles or hairlike spines; scales small; stigma lobes 8-21, white, extending beyond stamens, ca. 10 mm. Fruits dehiscent along 1 side when mature, light green, red, or purple, smooth [to ridged or angular], ellipsoid to ovoid, [20-]40-100 × 20-50 mm, fleshy, spineless, spiny, or with bristles or hairlike spines; pulp white or slightly pinkish; floral remnant persistent. Seeds black, reniform, 2-3 × 1-2.5 mm; testa cells shiny or dull when minutely pitted. x = 11.[15] [more]

Epithelantha

Plants miniature, erect, usually unbranched [branched], not deep-seated in substrate. Roots diffuse [tuberlike in E. pachyrhiza of Mexico]. Stems unsegmented, mostly spheric, often flat-topped, 1-4(-6) × 2-4(-6) cm, surface completely obscured by spines; tubercles numerous, not confluent into ribs, hemispheric or short cylindric, very small, ca. 1-3 mm; areoles at tips of tubercles, nearly circular, elliptic when distended by flower or fruit, copiously woolly only at sexually mature stem apex; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith not mucilaginous. Spines 20-90 per areole, in 1-5 series, appressed on sides of stems, erect at sexually mature stem apex, white to ashy gray, straight, terete, slender, innocuous, 4.5-12 mm at sexually mature stem apex, often shorter from breakage or wear, smooth or microscopically roughened by breakup of epidermis, not distinguishable as radial and central spines. Flowers diurnal, borne at adaxial margins of spine clusters deep within woolly stem apex, inconspicuous, only distal portion visible from spines and hairs, funnelform, 0.6-1.7 × 0.3-1.7 cm; outer tepals entire or sparsely erose-fimbriate; inner tepals pink to white (rarely yellow), (1-) 2-6(-9) × 1-2.3(-3) mm, margins entire or perhaps weakly erose-denticulate; ovary smooth, scales, hairs, and spines absent; stigma lobes (2-) 3-4(-6), white, to 1 mm. Fruits indehiscent, bright red, narrowly cylindric, 3-20 × 2-3(-5) mm, weakly succulent, soon drying and papery, smooth, spineless; pulp absent; floral remnant deciduous. Seeds blackish, obliquely hemispheric, 1.2-1.4 × 1 mm, glossy, impressed-reticulate; testa cells flat or slightly convex, anticlinal cell walls not protruding. x = 11.[16] [more]

Erdisia

Corryocactus is a of cactus. The genus was formerly placed in the tribe Notocacteae. [more]

Eriocactus

Parodia is a of cacti. This genus has about 50 species, ranging from small globose plants to 1-m tall columnar cacti. [more]

Eriocephala

[more]

Eriocereus

Harrisia is a of cacti native to Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, the Greater Antilles, and the U.S. state of Florida. The genus is named after William Harris, an important botanist of Jamaica. [more]

Eriosyce

Eriosyce is a of cacti native to Chile. [more]

Erythrorhipsalis

Escobaria

Escobaria is a of low-growing cacti that range from the southernmost parts of central and western Canada through northern Mexico, with one species in Cuba. The genus comprises about 23 species. [more]

Escobariopsis

[more]

Escobesseya

[more]

Escocoryphantha

[more]

Escontria

The chiotilla or jiotilla (Escontria chiotilla) is a of cacti and the only species of the genus Escontria. The species originates from Mexico (Guerrero, Michoacán, Oaxaca, southern Puebla). [more]

Espostoa

Espostoa is a of columnar cacti, comprising 16 species known from the Andes of southern Ecuador and Peru. It usually lives at an altitude of between 800m and 2500 m . Its fruit is sweet juicy and edible. The genus is named after Nicolas E. Esposto, a renowned botanist from Lima. [more]

Espostoopsis

Espostoopsis dybowskii is a of cacti and the sole species of its genus (Espostoopsis). Its specific name is formed from Greek (opsis meaning "view"), referring to its resemblance with the genus Espostoa, with which it is often confused. The plant is known from northern Bahia, Brazil. [more]

Eulychnia

Eulychnia is a of candelabriform or arborescent cacti, comprising between 6 and 9 species depending on the authority. [more]

Euporteria

[more]

Eurebutia

[more]

Facheiroa

Facheiroa is a of cacti, comprising 8 species in 2 subgenera (Facheiroa and Zehntnerella). The genus is endemic to Brazil. [more]

Ferocactus

Plants erect or leaning, unbranched (rarely branched after apical injury) or sparingly branched from base with age in F. hamatacanthus and F. viridescens [or many branched], deep-seated in substrate only in F. viridescens. Roots diffuse. Stems unsegmented, green, ovoid, spheric, depressed-spheric, or cylindric [or flat-topped and flush with soil surface], (0-) 10-150(-300) × 7.5-80(-100) cm, glabrous; ribs [8-]10-32(-40), very prominent, rib crests straight or undulate, uninterrupted (deeply crenate in F. hamatacanthus or sometimes nearly tuberculate in immature plants) ; areoles nearly circular to oblong or elliptic, with fertile portion as short adaxial prolongation confluent with spine cluster or connected to spine cluster by very broad groove, short woolly; areolar glands usually present, sometimes very short and inconspicuous and/or short lived, adaxial in areoles, ovoid to cylindric, blunt, peglike; cortex and pith hard, not mucilaginous. Spines 6-32 per areole, yellow, brown, or reddish to salmon with color hidden by very thin, light gray layer, usually large and coarse, annulate-ridged (smooth in F. hamatacanthus), longest spines 30-130(-170) × 0.5-4.5 mm; radial spines 6-25 per areole, straight to curved, or crinkly bristles, 15-70 mm; central spines 1-4 per areole, flattened, angled, or terete, all or only largest adaxial spine hooked. Flowers diurnal, near stem apex, on large plants often several cm from stem apex, at adaxial edges of areoles (or at axillary end of short areolar groove), funnelform, 2.5-8.5(-10) cm; outer tepals margins entire [fringed]; inner tepals yellow, orange, red, or purple (or white with purplish midstripes) ; ovary scaly, hairless, spineless; scales numerous, broadly rounded to lanceolate, margins ± scarious, minutely to conspicuously fimbriate or denticulate, obtuse; stigma lobes 13-20, yellow, orange, or red, unusually long, 7.5-15 mm. Fruits weakly dehiscent through basal pore (indehiscent in F. hamatacanthus), green, yellow, brownish, or dull purple-red [to bright red], spheric, ovoid, or cylindric, 20-60 × 10-40 mm, thick walled, leathery, hollow except for seeds and long persistent (thin walled and juicy in F. hamatacanthus), with numerous scales, spineless; pulp whitish or, if fruit hollow, absent; floral remnant persistent, dried tepals often remaining distinct, papery, and straight or wavy. Seeds black or dark brown, spheric to subreniform, 1-2.9[-3.2] mm; testa cells flat, weakly convex, concave, or flat with central depressions, pitted or reticulate. x = 11.[17] [more]

Floribunda

Cipocereus is a genus of cacti from Brazil. These species were previously included in the genera Pilosocereus and Cereus. [more]

Fobea

[more]

Frailea

Frailea is a of globular to short cylindrical cacti native to Brazil. These species are cleistogamous. They were first classified in the genus Echinocactus. [more]

Geohintonia

Geohintonia mexicana (discovered in 1992) is a of cacti, of the genus Geohintonia. This genus is named after its discoverer George S. Hinton. [more]

Gerocephalus

[more]

Glandulicactus

Plants erect, usually unbranched, not deep-seated in substrate. Roots diffuse . Stems unsegmented, usually bluish green or grayish green, spheric to cylindric, (5-) 7-15(-30) × 5-7.5(-10) cm, glabrous; ribs 9-13, protruding on sexually mature plants, crests deeply notched adaxial to each areole, making ribs ± crenate (ribs of young plants almost completely divided into tubercles) ; tubercles 9-15 × 6-10 mm; areoles spaced 20-25 mm apart along ribs, adaxially elongated into short, conspicuous areolar grooves extending into rib notches (axils of partially confluent tubercles), short woolly; areolar glands 1 to several, usually conspicuous in groove, hemispheric; cortex and pith not mucilaginous. Spines 10-12 per areole, straw colored to pale gray or reddish, longest spines 50-90(-130) × 1-1.5 mm, glabrous; radial spines (5-) 8-10 per areole, (11-) 20-35(-47) mm, 3 abaxial spines hooked, sometimes 1 straight abaxial spine beneath hooked spines; lateral and adaxial spines not hooked, 2-3 in semicentral spine position; central spines 1-4 per areole, principal 1 hooked, turned upward, terete to somewhat flattened. Flowers diurnal, at stem apex at adaxial edges of areoles or at axillary end of short areolar groove, campanulate or funnelform, 2-4 × 2-3 cm; outer tepals entire or crenate-serrate to densely and minutely fringed; inner tepals brick red or maroon, 12-22 × 3.5-6 mm, margins minutely toothed; ovary scaly, spineless; scales broad, entire or crenate-serrate to densely and minutely fringed; stigma lobes 10-14, pale yellow to dull orange, 5-6 mm. Fruits indehiscent, brilliant red [green], ovoid, obovoid, or spheric, 15-25 × 10-20 mm, very succulent, conspicuously scaly, spineless; pulp brilliant red [white]; floral remnant strongly persistent. Seeds black, often slightly curved, obovoid to pyriform, 1.3-1.5 × 0. 8-1 mm; testa cells convex. x = 11.[18] [more]

Grusonia

Shrubs, usually densely branched, forming mats or clumps [erect or decumbent]. Roots tuberlike and/or diffuse, also often adventitious. Stem segments firmly attached in most species in the flora to easily dislodged, cylindric-clavate, usually curving upward from near bases, sometimes subspheric, subequal in length, glabrous, strongly tuberculate, sometimes appearing ribbed; areoles ± circular, 1-6 mm diam.; wool white, gray, or yellow. Spines with epidermis sheath deciduous at apices only, exposing yellow spine tips; at least 1 of major spines in distal areoles angular-flattened to ribbonlike, sometimes cross-striate, sometimes bulbous based. Glochids commonly increasing greatly in number with time, in distal areoles, white, yellow, or brown. Flowers bisexual, radially symmetric; inner tepals bright yellow or rose to purple. Pollen spinulo-punctate, not reticulate (cylindropuntioid type). Fruits yellow to brownish, narrowly obconic to ellipsoid when fertile, fleshy at first, soon drying, smooth, sometimes spiny; areoles bearing conspicuous tuft of long, white to tan wool. Seeds yellowish white or pale yellow to brownish, suborbicular (to rectangular) or flattened, 3-6 mm, smooth or with rows of raised bumps; funicular girdle encircling seeds, not protruding. x = 11.[19] [more]

Gymnanthocereus

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Gymnocactus

Turbinicarpus is a of very small to medium-sized cacti, which inhabit the north-eastern regions of Mexico, in particular the states of San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas. [more]

Gymnocalycium

Gymnocalycium, commonly called chin cactus, is a genus of about 70 species of cacti. The genus name Gymnocalycium (from Greek, "naked calyx") refers to the flower buds bearing no hair or spines. [more]

Gymnocereus

[more]

Gynandriris

[more]

Haageocereus

Haageocereus is a of cacti endemic to the lower elevations of the extremely dry desert along the coast of Peru and northern Chile. [more]

Haagespostoa

Haagespostoa is a of cacti, which is a natural hybrid between Haageocereus and Espostoa. [more]

Haastia

[more]

Hamatocactus

Plants erect, unbranched or branched in basal portion, not deep-seated in substrate. Roots diffuse. Stems unsegmented, bright deep green, hemispheric when young, becoming spheric or ovoid to cylindric, 3.6-12(-20) × 4.5-12 cm, glabrous; ribs 13, spiraling or vertical, slender, crests sinuate, sharp, not interrupted or undulate, narrow; areoles circular or, on older parts of stem, elliptic to ovate, adaxially elongated into short areolar grooves; areolar glands golden, darker with age, cylindric or peglike; cortex and pith firm, not mucilaginous. Spines 11-20 per areole, not obscuring stems, yellowish, whitish, or reddish brown, acicular (rarely central spine flattened), longest spines 12-38 mm; radial spines 10-19 per areole, straight or slightly curved toward stem, longest spines 11-32 mm; central spines 1 per areole, porrect, hooked, terete (rarely flattened). Flowers diurnal, near stem apex, at adaxial edge of areoles or at axillary ends of short areolar grooves, widely funnelform, 3.7-7 × 4-7 cm; outer tepals finely fringed; inner tepals yellow (to ivory) with red bases, 20-25 × 6-9 mm, margins entire, toothed, or lacerate; ovary scaly, hairless, spineless; stigma lobes 5-11, pale yellow to orangish, 3-7 mm. Fruits indehiscent or eventually dehiscent by vertical slits, bright red, spheric or nearly so, ca. 10 × 8-13 mm, fleshy, with 15 or fewer whitish, broad fringed, naked, spineless scales; floral remnant persistent. Seeds black, obovoid, usually 1-1.4 × 0.8-1 mm, minutely papillate; testa cells weakly convex, nearly flat toward proximal end of seed. x = 11.[20] [more]

Hariota

Rhipsalis is a of epiphytic, mostly spineless cacti. They are typically known as mistletoe cacti. The scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek term for wickerwork, referring to the plants' habitus. [more]

Harrisia

Harrisia is a of cacti native to Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, the Greater Antilles, and the U.S. state of Florida. The genus is named after William Harris, an important botanist of Jamaica. [more]

Haseltonia

[more]

Hatiora

Rhipsalis is a of epiphytic, mostly spineless cacti. They are typically known as mistletoe cacti. The scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek term for wickerwork, referring to the plants' habitus. [more]

Heliabravoa

Polaskia (named after amateur Charles Polaski) is a genus of tree-like cacti reaching 4-5 m high, comprising 2 species. Both present primitive characteristics, but Polaskia chichipe is nearer to Myrtillocactus while Polaskia chende is nearer to Stenocereus. The genus is found in the Mexican states of Puebla and Oaxaca. [more]

Helianthocereus

Echinopsis is a large of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cacti, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. One small species, E. chamaecereus, is known as the peanut cactus. The 128 species range from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines. [more]

Heliocereus

Disocactus is of epiphytic cacti from Mexico to South America. It should not be confused with Discocactus, which is another genus. [more]

Heliochia

[more]

Hertrichocereus

Stenocereus (Gk. stenos, narrow , L. cereus ,candle) is a of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela. The genus has been enlarged by the addition of species from several other genera. A close relative is the peculiar chinoa or chende cactus, Polaskia chende. [more]

Hildewintera

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Hildmannia

[more]

Horridocactus

Eriosyce is a of cacti native to Chile. [more]

Hyalocereus

[more]

Hylocereus

Shrubs, epiphytic, hemi-epiphytic, or epipetric, straggling, climbing, scandent, or pendent, irregularly many branched. Roots diffuse, often adventitious along stem internodes. Stems segmented, green, blue-green, gray-green, or somewhat whitish with wax; segments elongate, 3-winged or -angled, length highly variable, 10-500+ × [1-]4-7.5[-10] cm, distinctly narrowed proximally, glabrous; ribs (2-) 3(-5), winglike to narrowly triangular in cross section, rib crests straight to undulate, crenate [toothed, notched, or lobed], often with a line of hard, brown to gray bark between areoles; areoles (10-) 35-50 mm apart along ribs, oval, short woolly, sometimes subtended by minute, vestigial leaves at growing stem tip; areolar glands inconspicuous; cortex and pith mucilaginous. Spines 0-4[-8] per areole, whitish or yellowish to brownish [blackish or red, aging gray], acicular [awl-shaped or hairlike], straight, terete, generally short, 0-4[-10] mm, hard, bases sometimes conic or swollen, smooth, glabrous; radial and central spines not distinguishable. Flowers nocturnal, lateral to subterminal on 1+-year-old stems, at adaxial edges of areoles, long tubed, funnelform, [3-]25-29[-38] × [8-]15-25[-30] cm; outermost tepals often greenish, yellow, pink, or occasionally purplish red or white, 10-15 × 1-1.5 cm, margins entire; inner tepals white to cream [rarely pinkish or red], 10-15 × 1.5-2.5 cm, margins entire; ovary tuberculate [to smooth], scaly, spineless, usually without hairs or wool; scales triangular, broad, thick conspicuous, to 25 mm; stigma lobes to 24, white. Fruits irregularly dehiscent along 1 side, red [to purple or magenta], oblong to ovoid or spheric, [20-]50-125 × 40-120 mm, fleshy, spineless; pulp white; scales persistent, green, triangular, conspicuous, thick and fleshy, to 4+ cm; floral remnant often persistent. Seeds black, [elongate or] pyriform [to reniform], 2-3 mm, glossy; testa smooth or minutely textured. x = 11.[21] [more]

Hymenorebutia

[more]

Islaya

Eriosyce is a of cacti native to Chile. [more]

Isolatocereus

Stenocereus (Gk. stenos, narrow , L. cereus ,candle) is a of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela. The genus has been enlarged by the addition of species from several other genera. A close relative is the peculiar chinoa or chende cactus, Polaskia chende. [more]

Jasminocereus

Jasminocereus (meaning "jasmin-like cereus", referring to the ) is a genus of cacti. The genus originates from the Galapagos Islands. Owned by Ecuador, these cacti are extremely rare in cultivation because of the very strict rules for removing plants or seeds from the islands. This cactus is the only cactus that has a species that can be light purple[specify]. [more]

Kadenicarpus

[more]

Krainzia

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Lasiocereus

Haageocereus is a of cacti endemic to the lower elevations of the extremely dry desert along the coast of Peru and northern Chile. [more]

Lemaireocereus

Pachycereus is a of 9-12 species of large cacti, native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, USA. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 5-15 m or more tall, with stout stems up to 1 m diameter. [more]

Leocereus

Leocereus bahiensis is a of cactus and the only species of the genus Leocereus. [more]

Lepidocoryphantha

[more]

Lepismium

Lepismium is a of mostly epiphytic cacti, with a dozen species. They are found in tropical South America. [more]

Leptocereus

Leptocereus is a of cacti. The genus Neoabbottia Britton & Rose has been brought into synonymy with this genus. [more]

Leptocladodia

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Leuchtenbergia

Leuchtenbergia principis (agave cactus or prism cactus), the sole species of the Leuchtenbergia, is a species of cactus. It is native to north-central Mexico (San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua). The genus is named after Maximilian Eugen Joseph (1817-1852), duke of Leuchtenberg and amateur botanist. [more]

Leucostele

[more]

Lobeira

A Genus in the Kingdom Plantae. [more]

Lobivia

Echinopsis is a large of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cacti, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. One small species, E. chamaecereus, is known as the peanut cactus. The 128 species range from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines. [more]

Lodia

[more]

Lophocereus

Pachycereus is a of 9-12 species of large cacti, native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, USA. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 5-15 m or more tall, with stout stems up to 1 m diameter. [more]

Lophophora

Lophophora (, 1894) is a genus of spineless, button-like cacti native to the southwestern United States (Texas and New Mexico) through Northeast Mexico and South to Querétaro. [more]

Loxanthocereus

Cleistocactus is a of columnar cacti from Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina. The name comes from the Greek kleistos meaning closed because the flowers hardly open. [more]

Lymanbensonia

[more]

Machaerocereus

Stenocereus (Gk. stenos, narrow , L. cereus ,candle) is a of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela. The genus has been enlarged by the addition of species from several other genera. A close relative is the peculiar chinoa or chende cactus, Polaskia chende. [more]

Maiheunia

Maihuenia

Maihuenia is a of cactus (family Cactaceae) and the sole genus of the subfamily Maihuenioideae, which is the smallest subfamily of the Cactaceae. The genus comprises 2 cushion-forming, mucilaginous species. They are found at high elevation habitats of Andean Argentina and Chile. [more]

Maihueniopsis

Maihueniopsis (from opsis, "view", referring to its resemblance to the unrelated Maihuenia) is a genus of the cactus family (Cactaceae), containing 18 species. [more]

Malacocarpus

Parodia is a of cacti. This genus has about 50 species, ranging from small globose plants to 1-m tall columnar cacti. [more]

Mamillopsis

[more]

Mammilaria

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Mammillaria

Plants mostly erect (rarely decumbent or prostrate), branched or unbranched, deep-seated in substrate or not. Roots diffuse or taproots (adventitious from offsets in M. thornberi and M. prolifera) . Stems unsegmented, green to gray-green, sometimes purplish under stress, spheric to cylindric or turbinate, often flat-topped, 1-15(-25) × 1.8-12(-20) cm, firm or flaccid; tubercles distinct, not confluent into ribs, pyramidal, conic, or cylindric, 3-25 × 2-9 mm; areoles of 2 kinds: vegetative areoles (spine clusters) at tips of tubercles; reproductive areoles in axils of tubercles, woolly, bristly, or naked; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith usually not mucilaginous, instead containing latex (absent in M. grahamii) . Spines [2-]5-80(-90) per areole, of every color that cactus spines can be, hairlike, bristlelike, or needlelike, glabrous or plumose, (0.5-) 2-25(-31) × 0.01-0.6 mm; radial spines (6-) 10-80 per areole, straight to curved or crinkly bristles, (0.6-) 3-25 mm; central spines 0-several (indefinitely numerous and intergrading with radial spines in M. lasiacantha), straight, curved, or hooked, terete. Flowers diurnal, in ring distant from stem apex (or nearly apical at anthesis forming a ring around new growth, subsequent apical growth displacing fruits even farther away from apex), in axils of tubercles, unconnected to spine clusters, funnelform, campanulate, or rotate, 0.9-4(-5.2) × 0.6-3.5(-7.5) cm; outer tepal margins entire or fringed; inner tepals yellow, white, rose-pink, magenta, or maroon, 4-30 × 1.5-8.5 mm; ovary lacking scales and spines; stigma lobes cream, yellow, red, pink, or brownish green, 0.3-8 mm. Fruits indehiscent, usually pink, bright red, or greenish, green and barrel-shaped when seeds mature, sometimes becoming colored and clavate or cylindric to ovoid, 5-30(-40) × (2-) 4-9(-26) mm, usually juicy; scales and spines absent (or rudimentary) ; floral remnant persistent to quickly deciduous. Seeds black, brown, reddish, or yellowish (with tan, corky strophioles in M. tetrancistra), 0.8-1.5 × 0.6-1.4 mm, usually pitted or raised-reticulate (with additional wrinkling in M. tetrancistra) [impressed-reticulate M. candida of Mexico], often shiny; testa cells flat to concave, walls straight to sinuate. x = 11.[22] [more]

Mammilloydia

The snowball cactus (Mammilloydia candida) is a of cacti and the sole species of the genus Mammilloydia. It originates from Mexico. [more]

Marenopuntia

Opuntia, also known as (see below), or Paddle Cactus from the resemblance to the ball-and-paddle toy, is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae. [more]

Marginatocereus

Pachycereus is a of 9-12 species of large cacti, native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, USA. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 5-15 m or more tall, with stout stems up to 1 m diameter. [more]

Marniera

Marshallocereus

Stenocereus (Gk. stenos, narrow , L. cereus ,candle) is a of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela. The genus has been enlarged by the addition of species from several other genera. A close relative is the peculiar chinoa or chende cactus, Polaskia chende. [more]

Matucana

Matucana is a of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing approximately 20 species of mostly globular plants. The genus is only known from Peru, mostly along the Marańón River. [more]

Mediocactus

Mediolobivia

Rebutia K. Schum. is a in the family Cactaceae, native to Bolivia and Argentina. [more]

Melocactus

Melocactus (Melon cactus) is of cactus with about 40 species. They are native to the Caribbean, northern South America, with some species along the Andes down to southern Peru, and a concentration of species in northeastern Brazil. [more]

Mesechinopsis

[more]

Meyerocactus

[more]

Micranthocereus

Micranthocereus is of cactus. It originates from Brazil and includes 9 species. [more]

Micropuntia

Mila

Mila could mean any one of the following: [more]

Miqueliopuntia

Miqueliopuntia miquelii is a of cactus and the only species comprised in the genus Miqueliopuntia. It is native to the Chilean coasts. [more]

Mirabella

Mitrocereus

[more]

Monvillea

Acanthocereus (published in 1909) is a of cacti. Its species take the form of shrubs with arching or climbing stems up to several meters in height. [more]

Morangaya

[more]

Morawetzia

Oreocereus is a of cacti (family Cactaceae), known only from high altitudes of the Andes. Its name was formed from Greek and means "mountain cereus". [more]

Myrtgerocactus

[more]

Myrtillocactus

Myrtillocactus (from , "blueberry cactus") is a genus of cacti. The genus is found from Mexico to Guatemala. The genus is best known with Myrtillocactus geometrizans. [more]

Navajoa

[more]

Neoabbottia

[more]

Neobesseya

Escobaria is a of low-growing cacti that range from the southernmost parts of central and western Canada through northern Mexico, with one species in Cuba. The genus comprises about 23 species. [more]

Neobinghamia

Haageocereus is a of cacti endemic to the lower elevations of the extremely dry desert along the coast of Peru and northern Chile. [more]

Neobuxbaumia

Neobuxbaumia is a of cacti. [more]

Neocardenasia

Neoraimondia is a of medium to large cacti from Peru. The genus is named after the Italian-born Peruvian explorer, naturalist, and scientist, Antonio Raimondi. [more]

Neochilenia

Eriosyce is a of cacti native to Chile. [more]

Neodawsonia

[more]

Neoevansia

[more]

Neogomesia

Ariocarpus is a of 8 species of succulent, subtropical plants of the Cactaceae family. [more]

Neolemaireocereus

[more]

Neolloydia

Plants erect, branched or unbranched, not deep-seated in substrate. Roots diffuse. Stems unsegmented, gray-green to yellowish or bronze-tinted green, spheric to short cylindric, 5-10(-24) × (1.8-) 2.5-6.5(-8) cm, usually white woolly at apex; tubercles prominent, not confluent into ribs, tightly packed in vertical, sprialing rows as if tuberculate ribs, compressed conic, 7-12 × 4-7 mm, 8-18 mm diam. at base; areoles adaxially elongated into long, narrow, conspicuous grooves extending into axils of tubercles, usually short woolly; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith not mucilaginous; specialized, yellow, sticky layer beneath old bark. Spines 9-17[-26] per areole, white, gray, brown, or black, acicular, straight; radial spines 9-15[-25] per areole, with bulbous bases, 6-17 mm; central spines [0-]6(-8) per areole, terete with bulbous bases. Flowers diurnal, at stem apex, at axillary end of areolar groove, showy, short funnelform, 2.5-3.2 × 3-5.5 cm; outer tepals whitish or magenta to purplish, to 25 × 10 mm, margins entire (sometimes irregularly, minutely denticulate) ; inner tepals bright rose-pink or magenta, 15-32 × 5-11 mm, margins entire; ovary smooth, spineless; stigma lobes 4-7, white to cream, 2-4 mm. Fruits dehiscent along vertical slits or indehiscent, green to white (slightly pinkish near base), becoming tan or greenish brown, spheric, 4-10 × 4-8 mm, dry and papery, smooth, spineless; pulp absent; floral remnant deciduous. Seeds black to gray, obovoid or pyriform, 1.1-1.6 × 0.8-1.2 mm, papillate; testa cells strongly convex. x = 11.[23] [more]

Neolobivia

[more]

Neomammillaria

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Neonavajoa

[more]

Neoporteria

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]

Neoraimondia

Neoraimondia is a of medium to large cacti from Peru. The genus is named after the Italian-born Peruvian explorer, naturalist, and scientist, Antonio Raimondi. [more]

Neowerdermannia

Neowerdermannia is a of South American cacti. The genus comprises only 2 species. [more]

Nopal

[more]

Nopalea

Trees or shrubs, erect or branches sometimes pendent, branched, 1-6(-10) m; trunk absent or elliptic in cross section, becoming ± terete with age, originating from consecutive pads, main axis determinate and segmented. Stem segments flattened, narrowly linear to obovate or falcate, 6-30(-50) × 3-10(-15) cm, low to strongly tuberculate; areoles on both surfaces, commonly elevated, elliptic to subcircular, 3-6 × 2-5 mm; wool tan to white. Spines absent or 1-3(-12) per areole, stout to hairlike, with epidermis intact, not sheathed. Glochids scattered in areole to densely arranged in tuft at adaxial margin, yellow, brown, or red-brown. Flowers bisexual, radially symmetric, 3-7(-10) cm; tepals erect; inner tepals closely appressed against numerous, slender filaments; filaments and style much exceeding perianth, pink to red or scarlet; fresh stigma lobes light green, aging pink; nectar chamber covered by extended proximal thickening of style. Pollen yellow to pink, 12-porate, with very fine punctae and spinulae, cohesive, sticky. Fruits red or sometimes aging purplish, cylindric or ellipsoid (circular in cross section), 15-50 × 20-40 mm, juicy, often tuberculate, spineless or spiny, with very deep umbilicus. Seeds grayish or tan to brownish, flattened, notched at hilum, 3-5.5 mm diam., smooth to lumpy, covered by bony funicular envelope, glabrous or slightly hairy; girdle protruding to 1.5 mm. x = 11.[24] [more]

Nopalxochia

Disocactus is of epiphytic cacti from Mexico to South America. It should not be confused with Discocactus, which is another genus. [more]

Normanbokea

[more]

Notocactus

Parodia is a of cacti. This genus has about 50 species, ranging from small globose plants to 1-m tall columnar cacti. [more]

Nyctocereus

Peniocereus is a of vining cacti, comprising about 18 species, found from the southwestern United States and Mexico. They have a large underground tuber, thin and inconspicuous stems. [more]

Obregonia

The Artichoke cactus (Obregonia denegrii) is a of cactus. It is the sole species of the genus Obregonia, named after Álvaro Obregón. This rare species resembles an inverted green pine cone with a woolly center. It grows slowly in culture and requires little water. It is benefited by full sun and is multiplied by seed. [more]

Oehmea

[more]

Opuntia

Trees or shrubs, erect to trailing, usually many branched, sometimes forming clumps or mats; trunk, when present, initially segmented, appearing continuous with age, main axis determinate, usually terete. Stem segments green or sometimes reddish to purple, usually flattened, circular, elliptic, ovate, lanceolate, or obovate to oblanceolate, 2-60(-120) × 1.2-40 cm, nearly smooth to tuberculate, glabrous or pubescent; areoles usually elliptic, circular, or obovate, 3-8(-10) × 1-7(-10) mm; wool white, gray, or tan to brown, aging white or gray to black. Spines 0-15+ per areole, white, yellow to brown, red-brown to gray, or black, sometimes partly to wholly white chalky (chalkiness disappearing when wet), aging gray to dark brown to black, with epidermis intact, not sheathed, acicular to subulate, sometimes setose or with hairlike bristles, terete to angular-flattened, to 75(-170) mm, tips sometimes paler or yellow. Glochids in adaxial crescent at margin of areole, in tuft or encircling areole margin, white to yellow to brown, or red-brown, aging white to brown or red-brown. Flowers bisexual or sometimes functionally staminate, radially symmetric; outer tepals green to yellow with margins tinged color of inner tepals; inner tepals pale yellow to orange, pink to red or magenta, rarely white (unicolored) or with base of a different color (bicolored), oblong to spatulate, emarginate-apiculate; nectar chamber simple, open, not covered by proximal thickening style. Pollen yellow, grains reticulate or foveolate (opuntioid type). Fruits sometimes proliferating (sprouting from another fruit), if fleshy, green, yellow, or red to purple or, if dry, tan to gray, straight, sometimes stipitate, clavate to cylindric, ovoid, or obovoid to subspheric, 10-120 × 8-120 mm, fleshy to juicy or dry, smooth or tuberculate, spineless or spiny, sometimes burlike. Seeds pale yellow to tan or gray, generally circular to reniform, flattened (discoid) to subspheric, angular to squarish, sometimes warped, 2-7 × 2-7 mm, glabrous, commonly bearing 1-4 large, shallow depressions due to pressures from adjacent developing seeds; girdle protruding 0.3-3.5 mm, forming ridge or flat wing, or not protruding. x = 11.[25] [more]

Orchis

Orchis is a genus in the orchid family (). This genus gets its name from the Greek ????? orchis, meaning "testicle", from the appearance of the paired subterranean tuberoids. [more]

Oreocereus

Oreocereus is a of cacti (family Cactaceae), known only from high altitudes of the Andes. Its name was formed from Greek and means "mountain cereus". [more]

Oroya

Oroya is a of cacti (family Cactaceae), originating from Peru. [more]

Ortegocactus

Ortegocactus macdougallii is a of cactus and the sole species of the genus Ortegocactus . The plant has a greenish-gray epidermis and black spines. It is only known from Oaxaca, Mexico. [more]

Pacherocactus

Pacherocactus orcuttii is a of shrubby cacti. It is a natural hybrid between Pachycereus pringlei and Bergerocactus emoryi, discovered in near Rosario, Baja California, Mexico. The plant's generic name is formed from those of its parents ("Pachycereus" and "Bergerocactus"). [more]

Pachgerocereus

[more]

Pachycereus

Shrubs [trees], erect, branched, branches mostly basal, closely parallel [to candelabra-shaped or solitary]. Roots diffuse. Stems unsegmented, dark green or green to blue-green or glaucous gray-green, thick columnar, often somewhat narrowed between growth increments, 300-4500[-700] × [5-]12-16[-100 in P. weberi] cm, sometimes dimorphic with terminal reproductive zone or cephalium bearing specialized, densely spiny areoles; ribs [absent on cephalium in P. militaris or 3-]4-7[-16 in P. pringlei], nearly triangular in cross section to rounded, rib crests flat to crenate; areoles distinct or confluent via felty abaxial grooves along ribs, of [1 or] 2 kinds, circular to shield-shaped and slightly raised to elongate and flat; hairs white to light gray; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith not mucilaginous, blackening when cut, firm, pith often exceeding 5 cm diam. Spines [0-]5-20[-60] per areole, whitish gray to gray, sometimes aging black; radial spines on proximal, nonflower-producing portions of stems, acicular to short and stout, usually less than 3 cm; central spines (0-) 1(-3) per areole, usually pointing toward stem base, otherwise longer but similar to radial spines in form and color, (1-) 3(-10+ in P. weberi) cm; on flowering areoles radial and central spines not readily distinguishable, bristles numerous [or nearly absent], gray [amber-yellow to golden or reddish brown], wiry, long, slender. Flowers nocturnal [or diurnal], several per areole [or solitary], subterminal to lateral on distal 1-3 m of stem in cephalium of specialized, densely bristly, nearly confluent areoles [or stem areoles not specialized], from adaxial portion of areoles, cylindric to narrowly funnelform, narrowly campanulate, or short funnelform, 3-4.5[-12] cm; tepals spreading [to ascending or erect], margins entire to fimbriate; outer tepals with pink to rose centers and lighter margins [to yellowish, greenish, or rose-maroon]; inner tepals whitish pink [to ivory white, yellowish, rose, or coral]; ovary few scaled [to very scaly], spineless [to very spiny or bristly]; scales soon deciduous [persistent], rose-red to yellowish, soon turning black [or not changing], triangular with prominent bases, fleshy [to papery], tips acute to acuminate, with axillary tufts of whitish to tan hairs [to densely tan woolly]. Fruits indehiscent [ to irregularly dehiscent or dehiscing by vertical slits], reddish [sometimes color hidden by tan to yellowish wool], ovoid to spheric, 20-75 mm diam.; areoles ± absent [or deciduous or persistent], spineless [or spiny to densely covered with wirelike bristles]; pulp slightly sour to sweet, colorless or wine red [purplish or yellowish], often not filling locule; floral remnant absent [or persistent]. Seeds black, ovoid to helmet- or comma-shaped, 2.2-2.8[-6] mm, glossy; testa relatively smooth [to ± papillate], cells usually flat with minute pits at "corners" between cells. x = 11.[26] [more]

Parahebe

[more]

Parodia

Parodia is a of cacti. This genus has about 50 species, ranging from small globose plants to 1-m tall columnar cacti. [more]

Parrycactus

[more]

Pediocactus

Plants unbranched or few branched, deep-seated in substrate or rising 1 -15 cm above substrate. Roots appearing as taproots at soil surface, branching, and ultimately diffuse. Stems unsegmented, green or gray-green, obconic-cylindric to spheric or depressed-spheric, 2-15 × 1-15 cm; tubercles distinct, not confluent into ribs, pyramidal, conic, truncate-conic, cylindroid, or mammillate, 2-10 mm; areoles circular, oval, pyriform, or elliptic, spiny and short or long woolly or glabrate; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith usually mucilaginous. Spines 3-45, reddish tan, pink, gray, or white, needle-shaped or awl-shaped to hairlike, 6-30 × 0.3-1 mm, smooth and hard, less often corky or spongy and soft, finely puberulent to glabrous; radial spines 3-35 per areole, spreading, erect, recurved, or somewhat pectinate, straight or irregularly curved, 1-32 mm; central spines 0-12, straight or curved upward, needlelike, hairlike, or corky, terete to flat. Flowers diurnal, borne at adaxial margins of areoles at stem apex, funnelform, 1-4 × 1-2.5 cm; outer tepals greenish or purple midstripes, pink or yellow margins, 9-25 × 3-9 mm, margins fringed, denticulate, or entire; inner tepals yellow, peach, pink, magenta, cream, or white, 4-15 × 3-7 mm, margins entire to fimbriate; ovary smooth, scaleless to few scaled, spineless; stigma lobes 5-9, yellow to green, 0.7-1.5 mm. Fruits dehiscent along 1 vertical suture, green or greenish yellow, often turning reddish brown, thin walled, cylindric, spheric or turbinate, 4-15 × 3-11 mm, becoming dry at maturity, smooth, scaleless or with few broad, thin scales; pulp greenish to white, scant; floral remnant deciduous. Seeds brown, black or gray, irregularly or obliquely obovoid or pyriform, 1.5-5 × 1-3.5 × 1-1.5 mm, papillate, sometimes also rugose, shiny; testa cells convex. x = 11.[27] [more]

Pelecyphora

Pelecyphora is a of cacti, comprising 2 species. They originate from Mexico. [more]

Peniocereus

Shrubs, low, erect to sprawling, arching, or scrambling, sparingly branched. Roots turnip-shaped or tuberlike and clustered. Stems unsegmented, gray, gray-green, greenish brown, brown, or purplish, columnar, proximally terete, distally terete or angled [or dimorphic with young stems 3-5-angled and adult stems terete in two Mexican species], [12-]25-300[-400] × 0.3-2[-6] cm, rigid, slender, canescent [or papillate]; ribs [3-]4-9[-20], often prominent, rib crests usually straight, uninterrupted; areoles (3.5-) 5-20 mm apart along ribs, circular to elliptic, lanose or sometimes glabrate; areolar glands absent; cortex and pith not mucilaginous. Spines 5-15(-17) per areole, yellowish white, sometimes with black tips, conic, subulate with swollen bases, sometimes acicular to bristlelike, 1.5-4[-25] mm, puberulent to glabrate, scurfy; radial and central spines similar. Flowers nocturnal (remaining open next day), usually borne laterally along distal portions of ribs, at adaxial edges of areoles, usually fragrant, salverform with long tube flaring abruptly near apex, usually 7-25 cm; tepals lanceolate to oblanceolate, apiculate to attenuate; outer tepals greenish, usually tinged with red, purple, brown, or white, 25-50 × 2-6 mm, margins entire or minutely ciliate; inner tepals commonly white [or red], sometimes lightly tinged cream, rose, red, or green, 25-75 × 8-12 mm, margins entire to slightly undulate; ovary with low tubercles, minutely scaly or scaleless, spiny, areoles woolly; stigma lobes 9-12, white to yellow-white, 10-15 mm. Fruits indehiscent, red to scarlet [carmine to purple], pyriform or ellipsoid [to ovoid], [30-]40-90 × 25-50 mm, fleshy, low tuberculate, scaleless, spiny; pulp reddish, in some taxa sweet and edible; floral remnant persistent. Seeds black, broadly oblong, 1-4 × 0.8-2.5 mm, shiny or dull; testa rugose, pitted and/or with raised polygonal cells. x = 11.[28] [more]

Pereskia

Stems straight or zig-zag. Spines 1-12 per areole. Flowers from areoles of new growth, fragrant or not; outer tepals often greenish, colored near margins; inner tepals white, yellow, orange-red, red, pink to purplish; stamens 50-100 in small-flowered species, to 300 in large-flowered species; filaments colorless near base, in some species pigmented distally, color either matching inner tepals or contrasting with them; styles shorter to longer than stamens; stigma lobes 3-20. x = 11.[29] [more]

Pereskiopsis

Pereskiopsis (from -opsis, "looking", because of its resemblance with the genus Pereskia) is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae). [more]

Peronocactus

[more]

Peruvocereus

Haageocereus is a of cacti endemic to the lower elevations of the extremely dry desert along the coast of Peru and northern Chile. [more]

Peyotl

[more]

Pfeiffera

Lepismium is a of mostly epiphytic cacti, with a dozen species. They are found in tropical South America. [more]

Phellosperma

[more]

Philippicereus

[more]

Phyllocactus

Epiphyllum is a of 19 species of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America. Common names for these species include orchid cacti and leaf cacti, though the latter also refers to the genus Pereskia. [more]

Pierrebraunia

[more]

Pilocanthus

[more]

Pilocereus

A Genus in the Kingdom Plantae. [more]

Pilocopiapoa

Copiapoa is a of cacti from the dry coastal deserts of northern Chile. It comprises about 26 species. These species vary in form from spherical to slightly columnar and in color from a brownish to blue-green body. [more]

Pilosocereus

Trees or shrubs, erect to ascending or reclining, usually branched in basal portion, older plants with closely parallel, erect branches forming narrow crown; trunk absent or present, 8-12+ cm diam. Roots diffuse. Stems unsegmented, green to bluish or blue-green, columnar, [0.5-]3-10 m × [2.8-]5-8 cm, glabrous; ribs 3-30, low, rounded, furrows straight [or wavy], rib crests sometimes notched between areoles [ribs strongly tuberculate in 1 Brazilian species]; areoles usually closely spaced along ribs [often confluent in flowering region], circular to elliptic, woolly; hairs usually white or tawny [to blackish] soft, to 8[-50] mm, longest on flower-producing areoles along each rib or on one side of stem in distal region; areolar glands not apparent; cortex and pith extremely mucilaginous. Spines 6-31 per areole, yellow [to brown or black], often aging gray, acicular, straight, terete, [2-]10-15(-25) [-40] × 0.25 mm, smooth; radial and central spines not distinguishable. Flowers nocturnal or crepuscular, lateral to subterminal on stems, from closely adjacent or confluent areoles, funnelform to narrowly campanulate, [2.5-]5-6[-9] × 2-5[-7] cm; flower tube straight or slightly curved; outer tepals greenish [blue, red, or purplish], margins entire or minutely denticulate; inner tepals white [pinkish to reddish], 9-26 × 7.5 mm, margins entire; ovary smooth, scales absent (or 1-2), spines absent; stigma lobes usually 8-12. Fruits dehiscent along 1 side or apparently indehiscent, red or purple [to blue-green], [spheric or] depressed-spheric [to ovoid or oblong], 20-45 × 30-50 mm, fleshy, scales and spines absent (rarely 1-2 scales) ; pulp color variable; floral remnant usually persistent. Seeds black or dark brown, snail-shaped, 1.2-2.6 mm, smooth, shiny; testa cells flat. x = 11.[30] [more]

Piptanthocereus

A cereus is a plant form of from subfamilies Cactoideae. It is characterisic by very prolonged bodies. It is also a used as name of genus of cactus or part of name of others genera, par example Armatocereus, Arthrocereus, Cephalocereus, Echinocereus, Haageocereus, Hylocereus, Jasminocereus, Leptocereus, Micranthocereus, Pachycereus, Peniocereus, Oreocereus, Pilosocereus, Pygmaeocereus, Rauhocereus, Selenicereus, Stenocereus, Weberbauerocereus, Trichocereus. [more]

Platyopuntia

[more]

Polaskia

Polaskia (named after amateur Charles Polaski) is a genus of tree-like cacti reaching 4-5 m high, comprising 2 species. Both present primitive characteristics, but Polaskia chichipe is nearer to Myrtillocactus while Polaskia chende is nearer to Stenocereus. The genus is found in the Mexican states of Puebla and Oaxaca. [more]

Porfiria

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Praecereus

Praecereus is of cactus. It is sometimes included in the genus Cereus. [more]

Pseudoacanthocereus

Pseudoacanthocereus is a of cacti. [more]

Pseudoespostoa

Espostoa is a of columnar cacti, comprising 16 species known from the Andes of southern Ecuador and Peru. It usually lives at an altitude of between 800m and 2500 m . Its fruit is sweet juicy and edible. The genus is named after Nicolas E. Esposto, a renowned botanist from Lima. [more]

Pseudolobivia

Echinopsis is a large of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cacti, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. One small species, E. chamaecereus, is known as the peanut cactus. The 128 species range from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines. [more]

Pseudomammillaria

The Mammillaria is one of the largest in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 171 known species and varieties recognized[citation needed]. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, but some come from the southwest USA, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Honduras. [more]

Pseudomitrocereus

[more]

Pseudonopalxochia

[more]

Pseudopilocereus

Pilosocereus (from , "hairy cereus") is a genus of cactus. Pilosocereus pachycladus(=Pilosocerus azureus) is a beautiful cactus with a light blue color, with hairy areoles that emit golden spines. [more]

Pseudorhipsalis

Pseudorhipsalis is of cacti. This genus is often included in Disocactus. [more]

Pseudozygocactus

[more]

Pterocactus

Pterocactus (from pteron, "wing", referring to the saucer-shaped seed of these plants) is a genus of the cactus family (Cactaceae), comprising 9 species. All Pterocactus have tuberous roots and are endemic to South and Western Argentina. The genus has been given its own tribe, the Pterocacteae. [more]

Pterocereus

Pachycereus is a of 9-12 species of large cacti, native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, USA. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 5-15 m or more tall, with stout stems up to 1 m diameter. [more]

Puebloa

[more]

Puna

A Genus in the Kingdom Plantae. [more]

Pygmaeocereus

Pygmaeocereus is a of diminutive cacti (family Cactaceae). These species generally do not reaching more than 4 inches high, produce a large tuberous root system and scented night flowers. [more]

Pyrrhocactus

Eriosyce is a of cacti native to Chile. [more]

Quiabentia

Quiabentia is a of cacti, closely related to Pereskiopsis. [more]

Rapicactus

[more]

Rathbunia

Stenocereus (Gk. stenos, narrow , L. cereus ,candle) is a of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela. The genus has been enlarged by the addition of species from several other genera. A close relative is the peculiar chinoa or chende cactus, Polaskia chende. [more]

Rathburnia

[more]

Rauhocereus

Rauhocereus is a of cacti (family Cactaceae) with nocturnal flowers. It is known from northern Peru (Rio Santa, Rio Zana, Chamaya and Jaen). [more]

Rebulobivia

[more]

Rebutia

Rebutia K. Schum. is a in the family Cactaceae, native to Bolivia and Argentina. [more]

Reicheocactus

Rebutia K. Schum. is a in the family Cactaceae, native to Bolivia and Argentina. [more]

Rhipsalidopsis

Rhipsalis is a of epiphytic, mostly spineless cacti. They are typically known as mistletoe cacti. The scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek term for wickerwork, referring to the plants' habitus. [more]

Rhipsalis

Rhispsalis

[more]

Rhodocactus

Pereskia is a of about 25 tropical species and varieties of cacti that do not look much like other types of cacti, having substantial leaves and thin stems. They originate from the region between Brazil and Mexico. The genus is named after Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, a 16th century French botanist, which also has been given its own subfamily Pereskioideae. Members of this genus are usually referred to as lemon vines, rose cacti or leaf cacti, though the latter also refers to the genus Epiphyllum. [more]

Rimacactus

[more]

Ritterocactus

[more]

Ritterocereus

Stenocereus (Gk. stenos, narrow , L. cereus ,candle) is a of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela. The genus has been enlarged by the addition of species from several other genera. A close relative is the peculiar chinoa or chende cactus, Polaskia chende. [more]

Rodentiophila

[more]

Rooksbya

Neobuxbaumia is a of cacti. [more]

Roseocactus

[more]

Roseocereus

Harrisia is a of cacti native to Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, the Greater Antilles, and the U.S. state of Florida. The genus is named after William Harris, an important botanist of Jamaica. [more]

Salpingolobivia

[more]

Samaipaticereus

Samaipaticereus corroanus is a of cactus and the sole species of the genus Samaipaticereus. It is known only from East Andean Bolivia. [more]

Schlumbergera

Schlumbergera is a of tree-dwelling cactus from Brazil introduced to Europe by the Kew collector, Allan Cunningham (1791-1839), in about 1816. [more]

Schlumbergia

Sclerocactus

Plants erect, usually unbranched, sometimes deep-seated in substrate in winter but never flat-topped. Roots diffuse. Stems unsegmented, pale to dark green or bluish green, ovoid, spheric, depressed-spheric, depressed hemispheric, cylindric, or elongate cylindric, 1-40(-45) × 1.8-15(-20) cm, occasionally glaucous; tubercles usually coalescent into ribs (rarely remaining as separate tubercles) ; ribs 10-17(-20), crests deeply notched above each areole, thus ribs tuberculate; tubercles ± prominent on ribs; areoles 8-20 mm apart, elliptic to pyriform, with fertile portion as short adaxial prolongation confluent with spine cluster or connected to spine cluster by very broad groove, woolly; areolar glands few or absent; cortex and pith highly mucilaginous. Spines 2-17(-29) ; radial spines 2-11(-18) per areole, usually white or gray, sometimes straw colored, brown, pink, purplish pink, or black, straight or curved; central spines (0-) 1-6(-11) per areole, gray, white, yellow, straw colored, red, reddish brown, brown, pink to purplish pink or black, usually of 2-3 distinct types, 1 or more hooked (rarely none hooked), acicular or subulate, or both (ribbonlike and papery in S. papyracanthus), longest spines 7-15 mm. Flowers diurnal, borne at adaxial edge of areoles at or near stem apex or in short extension of spine-bearing areoles, campanulate or funnelform, 1-6.7 × 1-6(-7) cm; outer tepals with greenish lavender, reddish brown, yellowish brown, or purple midstripes, white, cream, gold, rose, pink, or purple margins, oblanceolate, 10-45 × 3-10 mm, margins entire or fimbriate; inner tepals erect to ascending white, cream, yellow, or pink to purplish, often with dark midstripes, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 15-50 × 4-12 mm, margins entire or fimbriate; ovary scaly, spineless; stigma lobes 5-12, pink, green, yellow, or creamy white, 1.5-3.5 mm. Fruits dehiscent along 2-4 irregular, short vertical slits above base, or through basal abscission pore, green, often turning tan, pink or red, cylindric to subspheric, 4.2-30 × 3.5-21(-25) mm, thin walled, fleshy, becoming dry at maturity, naked or with few broad, thin scales; pulp greenish to white, scant; floral remnant persistent. Seeds brown or black, 1.5-3 × 1.9-4.5 mm, glossy or shiny; testa papillate (rarely furrowed). x = 11.[31] [more]

Selenicereus

Shrubs, vinelike, scandent, terrestrial, hemi-epiphytic, epiphytic, or epipetric, sparingly to abundantly branched, branches clustered at nodes. Roots diffuse or adventitious along stems. Stems segmented or unsegmented, usually bright green or bluish green to purplish, slender cylindric [flattened and leaflike in some epiphytic species], 100-500 × 0.8-5[-30] cm, glabrous; ribs [3-]4-8[-12] [or 2-winged in some epiphytic species], prominent and acute to low and rounded, rib crests straight to somewhat undulate [toothed, notched, or if stems winged and leaflike, then conspicuously lobed]; areoles [10-]15-25[-60] mm apart along ribs, small, orbicular,