Epiphyllum ("upon the leaf" in Greek) is a genus 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. In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a taxonomic grouping. ... In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... An example of an epiphyte assemblage of orchids and bromeliads in a garden setting The term epiphyte refers to any plant that grows upon or attached to another living plant. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta - rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta - zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta - trimerophytes Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta... This article is about the plant family. ... Map of Central America Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. ... Species see text The genus Pereskia comprises 16 species of very primitive cacti originating from Brazil to Mexico. ...

The stems are broad and flat, 1-5 cm broad, 3-5 mm thick, usually with lobed edges. The flowers are large, 8-16 cm diameter, white to red, with numerous petals. Clivia miniata bears bright orange flowers. ...

The fruit is edible, very similar to the pitaya fruit from the closely related genus Hylocereus, though not so large, being only 3-4 cm long. Fruit stall in Barcelona, Spain. ... Pitaya fruit Examples of pitaya bonsai The pitaya, also known as pitahaya, dragonfruit or strawberry pear is the fruit of several cactus species, especially of the genus Hylocereus. ... Species Hylocereus lemairei Hylocereus minutiflorus Hylocereus polyrhizus - dragonfruit Hylocereus undatus - dragonfruit, pitaya, pitahaya, strawberry pear etc. ...

Epiphyllums are very popular house plants, with numerous hybrids and cultivars produced. In fact, the term epiphyllum is commonly used to refer to these hybrids. // In biology, hybrid has two meanings. ... This Osteospermum Pink Whirls is a successful cultivar. ...

The genus has 2 synonyms: Phyllocactus Link and Phyllocereus Miq.. In scientific classification, synonymy is the existence of multiple systematic names to label the same organism. ... Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link (February 2, 1767 - January 1, 1850) was a German naturalist and botanist. ... Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel (24 October 1811 – 23 January 1871) was a Dutch botanist. ...

Broad-leaved epiphyllum

The broad-leaved epiphyllum (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) is a particularly notable species of epiphyllum. In Chinese, there is a saying "昙花一现" (tanhua yi xian) which means "to bloom briefly", alluding to the short lifespan of the flower, which only last one night.

External links

• EpiForums - Discussions on Epiphyllum species and hybrids
• Cactiguide - Epiphyllum
• On growing Epiphyllum Cacti Resource
• Epi Species (Jim Hunter's Epi Universe), a comprehensive list of genera of epiphytic cacti.