Contains 10 genera and 25 accepted taxa overall.
This family is completely databased for all specimens.
Characteristics
CACTACEAE
Dicot
-
Classification
CARYOPHYLLALES
CACTACEAE
Genera
| Genus | Common Name | Taxa Count | Herbarium Specimens | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acanthocereus | TRIANGLE CACTUS | 1 | ||
| Cereus | SWEETPOTATO CACTUS | 1 | ||
| Consolea | PRICKLYPEAR | 1 | ||
| Epiphyllum | CLIMBING CACTUS | 1 | ||
| Harrisia | APPLECACTUS | 2 | ||
| Opuntia | PRICKLYPEAR | 10 | ||
| Pereskia | PERESKIA | 2 | ||
| Pilosocereus | TREE CACTUS | 2 | ||
| Rhipsalis | RHIPSALIS | 2 | ||
| Selenicereus | MOONLIGHT CACTUS | 3 |
Identification Key
1. Leaves persistent, with broad, flat blades; flowers in paniculiform, corymbiform, or aggregate cymes
1. Leaves caducous, small and terete, vestigial, or absent; flowers solitary from the areoles
2
2. Stems flattened (rarely subcylindric); areoles evenly distributed on stems, usually bearing minute, barbed bristles (glochids); inner flower petals brightly colored (red to yellow)
3
2. Stems cylindric to flattened; areoles restricted to ribs, angles, and edges of stem, lacking glochids (areoles evenly distributed on cylindric stems of Rhipsalis); inner flower petals whitish
4
3. Stems indeterminate, elongate, unsegmented; flower and fruit areoles usually spiny
3. Stems determinate, elliptic, ovate, orbicular, to obovate, segmented; flower and fruit areoles not spiny
4. Branches <7 mm wide in diameter; flowers rotate, <2 cm long; floral tube obsolete; perianth segments less than 12
4. Branches more than 7 mm in diameter; flowers funnelform, salverform, or campanulate, >4 cm long; floral tube elongate; perianth segments more than 12
5
5. Vines or epiphytes; stems with adventitious roots
6
5. Clambering to erect shrubs or trees; stems without adventitious roots (unless broken or fallen to ground)
7
6. Stems flat (basally cylindric), rarely 3-winged
6. Stems 3-8 ribbed, angled, or winged, rarely 2-winged
7. Stems with 3-5 ribs; usually at least some flower and fruit areoles with a few spines
7. Stems with 8-14 ribs; flower and fruit areoles without spines
8
8. Shrubs or rarely tree-like; stems slender, <3.5 cm wide distally, usually; flower tube areoles pilose, the tube scales with acute apices; fruit with several areoles
8. Tree-like; stems stout, >3.5 cm wide distally; flower tube areoles glabrous, the tube scales rounded at the tip; fruit often with few to no areoles
9
9. Stem ribs usually 6; flowers 15-25 cm long
9. Stem ribs 9-14; flowers 4-6 cm long