7

Does anyone know the species of this epiphytic cactus? Even the genus would be a step forward. Could it be a Disocactus sp.?

The open flower is less than 2 cm (just under an inch) in diameter. The colours on the photo look pretty realistic.

A species of Disocactus?

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
  • 6,215
  • 8
  • 39
  • 74
Klaus Alexander Seistrup
  • 332
  • 1
  • 9
  • 1
    Perhaps Pfeiffera monacantha? – Brenn Apr 27 '16 at 18:51
  • Nice find Brenn! Looks right to me. If nobody disagrees, might you want to write it up as an answer with some more information? Thanks! – Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL Apr 27 '16 at 19:07
  • If the pictures on Google are any indication, it does indeed look like a _Pfeiffera monacantha_ (although the [German wikipedia](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepismium_monacanthum) says that the plant should now be called _Lepismium monacanthum_). Well, now that I read the w'pedia entry again I don't understand why it insists that the name is L. monacanthum. This is the first name the plant had. In 1924 it was renamed as Acanthorhipsalis monacantha and in 1994 as Pfeiffera monacantha. Isn't the last name the valid one? – Klaus Alexander Seistrup Apr 28 '16 at 06:28
  • Sometimes new information can have the taxonomy revert back to a previous name. Here's a good article on the subject: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/articles/dryandra-banksia/why_names_change – Brenn Apr 28 '16 at 14:15

1 Answers1

3

I believe this to be Pfeiffera monacantha.

Synonym(s): Rhipsalis monacantha, Acanthorhipsalis monacantha, Pfeiffera monacantha, Acanthorhipsalis incahuasina, Pfeiffera incahuasina, Acanthorhipsalis monacantha, Lepismium monacanthum.

In regards to its taxonomy, the International Plant Names Index (http://www.ipni.org) shows that the generic name Lepismium was changed to Pfeiffera in 1994 (and nothing about it changing back to Lepismium).

To fortify this, The New Cactus Lexicon (http://www.newcactuslexicon.org/) reaffirms the genus Pfeiffera with 9 species.

Details about its range and and taxonomy can be found here: http://media.eol.org/pages/5181624/hierarchy_entries/57218552/overview

General culture for epiphytic cacti: http://cactus-epiphytes.eu/z_page_culture.htm and http://www.abbeybrookcacti.com/epi_culture.htm

Brenn
  • 3,046
  • 11
  • 23