Family Cactaceae Rank Species | Genus Rhipsalis Higher classification Rhipsalis | |
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Similar Rhipsalis, Cactus, Rhipsalis cereuscula, Rhipsalis pilocarpa, Hatiora salicornioides | ||
My rhipsalis baccifera cactus with fruit berries
Rhipsalis baccifera, commonly known as the mistletoe cactus, is an epiphytic cactus which originates from Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Florida. It is also spread throughout the tropics of Africa and into Sri Lanka. This is the only cactus species naturally occurring outside the New World. One theory is that it was introduced to the Old World by migratory birds, long enough ago for the Old World populations to be regarded as distinct subspecies. The alternative theory is that the species initially crossed the Atlantic Ocean on European ships trading between South America and Africa, after which birds may have spread it more widely.
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Cactus fruit from a rhipsalis baccifera jan 2015
Taxonomy
The species shows considerable polymorphism and can be divided into numerous subspecies. Mesoamerican specimens are usually tetraploid and South American specimens are diploid. The genera currently assigned to the tribe Rhipsalideae (which include Hatiora, Lepismium, and Schlumbergera in addition to Rhipsalis) were subject to considerable confusion and disagreement prior to the clarification by Wilhelm Barthlott and Nigel Taylor in 1995.
Synonyms
The naming of the species is confusing, and a very large number of obsolete names (synonyms) exist. These include:
The genus Cassytha belongs to the family Lauraceae rather than Cactaceae, and the classification of some Rhipsalis species to the genus was an error based on the not dissimilar habit.
