Cereus
Encyclopedia
Cereus is a genus
of cactus
. The term cereus is also used to describe cacti with very elongated bodies, including columnar growth cacti and epiphytic
cacti. Cereus is from the Greek
and Latin
meaning "torch".
Cereus genera include: Armatocereus
, Arthrocereus
, Cephalocereus
, Echinocereus
, Haageocereus
, Hylocereus
, Jasminocereus
, Leptocereus
, Micranthocereus
, Pachycereus
, Peniocereus
, Oreocereus
, Pilosocereus
, Pygmaeocereus
, Rauhocereus
, Selenicereus, Stenocereus
, Weberbauerocereus
, and Trichocereus.
Genus Cereus is one of the oldest cactus genera, and the circumscription varies depending on the authority.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of cactus
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
. The term cereus is also used to describe cacti with very elongated bodies, including columnar growth cacti and epiphytic
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
cacti. Cereus is from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
meaning "torch".
Cereus genera include: Armatocereus
Armatocereus
Armatocereus is a genus of mostly tree-like cacti from South America . 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....
, Arthrocereus
Arthrocereus
Arthrocereus is a genus of cactus, originating from southern Minas Gerais, Brazil....
, Cephalocereus
Cephalocereus
Cephalocereus is a genus of slow-growing, columnar-shaped, blue-green cacti. The genus is native to Mexico. For more information see Old-Man Cactus.-Synonymy:*Haseltonia Backeb.*Neodawsonia Backeb.*Pilocereus Lem.- Species :...
, Echinocereus
Echinocereus
Echinocereus is a genus of ribbed, usually small to medium-sized cylindrical cacti, comprising about 70 species from the southern United States and Mexico in very sunny rocky places...
, Haageocereus
Haageocereus
Haageocereus is a genus of cacti endemic to the lower elevations of the extremely dry desert along the coast of Peru and northern Chile.-Synonymy:The following genera have been brought into synonymy with Haagerocereus:...
, Hylocereus
Hylocereus
Hylocereus is a genus of cacti, often referred to as nightblooming cactus . Several species have large edible fruits, which are known as pitaya or dragonfruits.-Taxonomy:...
, Jasminocereus
Jasminocereus
Jasminocereus 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...
, Leptocereus
Leptocereus
Leptocereus is a genus of cacti.The genus Neoabbottia Britton & Rose has been brought into synonymy with this genus....
, Micranthocereus
Micranthocereus
Micranthocereus is genus of cactus. It originates from Brazil and includes 10 species.The two genera Austrocephalocereus Backeb. and Siccobaccatus P.J.Braun & Esteves have been brought into synonymy with this genus....
, Pachycereus
Pachycereus
Pachycereus is a genus 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....
, Peniocereus
Peniocereus
Peniocereus is a genus 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.-Synonymy:...
, Oreocereus
Oreocereus
Oreocereus is a genus of cacti , known only from high altitudes of the Andes. Its name was formed from Greek and means "mountain cereus".-Synonymy:The following genera have been included in this genus:*Arequipa Britton & Rose...
, Pilosocereus
Pilosocereus
Pilosocereus is a genus of cactus.The commonly cultivated Pilosocereus pachycladus is a blue cactus with hairy areoles that emit golden spines.-Synonymy:...
, Pygmaeocereus
Pygmaeocereus
Pygmaeocereus is a genus of diminutive cacti . These species generally do not reaching more than 4 inches high, produce a large tuberous root system and scented night flowers....
, Rauhocereus
Rauhocereus
Rauhocereus is a genus of cacti with nocturnal flowers. It is known from northern Peru ....
, Selenicereus, Stenocereus
Stenocereus
Stenocereus is a genus of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela and the ABC islands of the Dutch Caribbean. The genus has been enlarged by the addition of species from several other...
, Weberbauerocereus
Weberbauerocereus
Weberbauerocereus is a genus of ceroid cactus, considered to be intermediate between the genera Trichocereus and Cleistocactus. The genus is named after August Weberbauer because of his extensive research in the Peruvian Andes.Species include:...
, and Trichocereus.
Genus Cereus is one of the oldest cactus genera, and the circumscription varies depending on the authority.
Selected species
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Cereus mirabella Cereus mirabella is a species of plant in the Cactaceae family. It is endemic to Brazil. Its natural habitat is dry savanna. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Taylor, N.P. 2002. . Downloaded on 21 August 2007.... N.P.Taylor Cereus repandus The Peruvian Apple Cactus, Cereus repandus, is a large, erect, thorny columnar cactus found in South America as well as the nearby ABC Islands of the Dutch Caribbean... (L.) Mill. |