Cereus Cactus
Cereus is a genus consisting of tall, columnar cacti that belong to the family Cactaceae. The genus currently includes 29 accepted species, all native to the South Caribbean to South Tropical America.
These cacti are known for their towering height, with fragrant, night-blooming flowers that bloom typically between late spring and summer. The blooming season is often found to change depending on the species and the climate they are native to. Some species bloom intermittently and multiple times throughout the growing season in warm regions.
Description
They have elongated bodies with a shrubby appearance, often attaining a height of almost 15 meters (49 feet), as found in C. hexagonus and C. lamprospermus, among others. Most of their stems have ridges that often have spines growing on them.
They produce large, showy, funnel-shaped flowers, typically white or pale pink, that bloom at night, and hence, they are placed under Night-blooming cereus, an informal group of ceroid or epiphytic cacti that bloom at night.
Their fruits are oblong, ovoid to globose. They appear in white, red, pink, yellow, or green colors. While the fruits of most species are edible, a few have a laxative effect.
Taxonomy and Classification
The name ‘Cereus’ is derived from the Latin word for ‘wax torch’ or ‘candle,’ which refers to its tall, cylindrical growth habit. It was first mentioned in 1625 by Tabernaemontanus and officially described by Philip Miller (1754).
According to the Plants of the World Online (POWO) database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, there are currently 29 accepted species within this genus.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Cereus
Distribution
They are primarily found in South America, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru, and the South Caribbean, like Venezuela and Colombia.
List of All Types of Cereus Cactus
The 29 currently accepted species of this genus are listed below, along with their distribution:
| Name | Distribution |
|---|---|
| Cereus aethiops | Argentina to Uruguay |
| Cereus alex-bragae | Brazil (Goiás) |
| Cereus bicolor | W. Central Brazil |
| Cereus fernambucensis | Brazil |
| Cereus hexagonus | Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela |
| Cereus hildmannianus | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay |
| Cereus gerardi | Brazil (Tocantins) |
| Cereus ingens | Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais) |
| Cereus lepidotus | Colombia, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela |
| Cereus repandus | Aruba, Colombia, Venezuela |
| Cereus jamacaru | Brazil |
| Cereus spegazzinii | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay |
| Cereus stenogonus | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay |
| Cereus vargasianus | Peru |
| Cereus forbesii | Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay |
| Cereus mortensenii | Venezuela |
| Cereus fricii | Colombia, Venezuela |
| Cereus insularis | Brazil (Pernambuco) |
| Cereus lamprospermus | Bolivia, Paraguay |
| Cereus lanosus | Brazil, Paraguay |
| Cereus pierre-braunianus | Brazil (NE Goiás) |
| Cereus pachyrrhizus | Paraguay |
| Cereus trigonodendron | Bolivia, Brazil, Peru |
| Cereus saddianus | Brazil |
| Cereus horrispinus | Colombia, Venezuela |
| Cereus yungasensis | Bolivia |
| Cereus albicaulis | North-east Brazil |
| Cereus estevesii | Brazil (North of Minas Gerais) |
| *Cereus mirabella | Brazil |
*The species Mirabella Cereus is considered a subgenus, C. subg. Mirabella by some scientists.
This genus stands out for its nocturnal blooms and unique flowering patterns. Its aesthetic value makes the members of this group ecologically and ornamentally significant.