''Disocactus anguliger'' (syn. ''Epiphyllum anguliger''), commonly known as the fishbone cactus or zig zag cactus, is a

cactus A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Gre ...

species native to

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. The species is commonly grown as an ornamental for its fragrant flowers in the fall.

Taxonomy and etymology

This species was formerly placed in the genus ''

Epiphyllum ''Epiphyllum'' (; "upon the leaf" in Greek) is a genus of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America and South America. Common names for these species include climbing cacti, orchid cacti and leaf cacti, though ...

'' as ''Epiphyllum anguliger''. However, according to recent molecular research, it is actually a species of '' Disocactus''. The specific name derives from the deeply toothed stems (''anguliger'' = "angle bearing").

Description

This

epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

cactus has smooth green skin and extensively branched stems. The primary stems are often woody. Secondary stems are flat and succulent, 20–30 cm long, 3–5 cm wide, and deeply lobed. The lobes are rectangular or slightly rounded. The white or pale yellow flowers bloom nocturnally, exuding a strong, sweet scent; they are 6–20 cm long and 6–7 cm wide. The fruit, 3–4 cm long and 2 cm in diameter, are ovoid and brownish, greenish or yellowish. The interior of the tasty fruit is reminiscent of kiwifruit, with green pulp and small black seeds.

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to Mexico, occurring as an epiphyte in evergreen forests in Oaxaca, Guerrero, Jalisco, and Michoacán and/or Nayarit. It can be found at elevations between 1,100 and 1,800 m. This plant was first distributed in Europe by the Horticultural Society of London which obtained it from the collector T. Hartweg in 1846.

Cultivation

This easily cultivated, fast growing epiphyte requires a compost containing plenty of humus and sufficient moisture in summer. It should be kept at , but temperatures may drop to for shorter periods. It is best grown in semi-shade. It flowers in late autumn or early winter.

Cultivars and hybrids

There are a large number of cultivars and hybrids in existence with more added each year, just a few are listed here. * ''E. anguliger'' 'El Tecolote' WC (REDC) 1997. ''E. anguliger'' × 'Bonanza Belle'. Inner tepals creamy white; outer tepals lemon yellow or golden bronze, similar to the species. Nocturnal, but stays open until noon the next day. Medium sized. Small, flat, deeply lobed stems. * ''E. anguliger'' 'Jetz' WC (REDC) 1997. ''E. anguliger'' × 'Bonanza Bell'. Nocturnal fragrant flower with inner tepals cream, tips lemon yellow, acute and pencil line lemon yellow, ruffled margins, two next rows yellower, 4th and 5th rows solid lemon yellow; outer tepals bronze with yellow to red-orange midstripe. Overlapping wide form. Small plant with thick, flat stems, margins deeply lobed. (medium-large) * ''E. anguliger'' 'What Luck' WC (REDC) 1997. ''E. anguliger'' × 'Bonanza Belle'. Persimmon orange, darker at edges, outer tepals rusty orange, overlapping, wide form. Style and stamens light orange. Flower medium-sized. Stems small, flat, deeply lobed. * ''E. anguliger'' 'Beahmianum', Collected by Thomas MacDougall in 1967, in Oaxaca, Mexico. Flowers white with a lavender-pink throat. * ''E. anguliger'' 'Gertrudianum', Flowers shorter than in most clones, 6–7.5 cm long and 12 cm wide. Strong grower and a prolific bloomer.

References