Branches 6-8-winged, wings compressed when young, broader later, margins relatively straight or evenly spiral
Areoles with 3 central spines 10-20 mm long, yellow or brown when young, ageing grey, and 4-8 peripheral spines 4-6 mm long, yellow or brown when young, ageing grey
Flowers solitary
Sepals greenish, lorate, apices obtuse
Petals white, lorate, apices obtuse
Stamens many, oblique in mature flower
Ovary dark green; stigma lobes 16-20
Fruit (ripe) red, ellipsoid, skin smooth, pulp white
Seeds black
x = 11 (aneuploids, polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
*Cereus Mill.
Miller: [308] (1754)
Haworth: 178 (1812)
Britton & Rose: 3 (1920)
Berger: 107 (1929)
Buxbaum: 410 (1968)
IOS Working Party: 70 (1986)
IOS Working Party: 90 (1990)
Barthlott & Hunt: 180 (1993)
Piptanthocereus (A.Berger) Riccob.
Riccobono: 225 (1909)
Distribution & Notes:
Global: Species ± 40, Caribbean and South America
Southern Africa: *Cereus jamacaru DC. (locally often referred to as *C. peruvianus) is naturalised in the bushveld areas of the Northern Province, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and North-West
References:
BARTHLOTT, W. & HUNT, D.R. 1993. Cactaceae. In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich, The families and genera of flowering plants 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
BERGER, A. 1929. Kakteen. Ulmer, Stuttgart
BRITTON, N.L. & ROSE, J.N. 1919-1923. The Cactaceae. Carnegie Institution, Washington
BUXBAUM, F. 1968. Die Entwicklung der Tribus Cereeae Britt. et Rose emend. F. Buxbaum (Cactaceae - Cactoideae). Beiträge zur Biologie der Pflanzen 44
HAWORTH, A.H. 1812. Synopsis plantarum succulentarum. Taylor, London
IOS WORKING PARTY 1986. The genera of the Cactaceae: towards a new consensus. Bradleya 4
IOS WORKING PARTY 1990. The genera of Cactaceae: progress towards consensus. Bradleya 8
MILLER, P. 1754. The gardener's dictionary, abridged edn 4. Rivington, London
RICCOBONO, F. 1909. Studii dulle cattee del R. Orto Botanico di Palermo. Bollettino del R. Orto Botanico, Palermo 8
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