''Epiphyllum chrysocardium'' (syn. ''Selenicereus chrysocardium'') is an

epiphytic An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another 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 epiphyt ...

cactus A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...

endemic to

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

.''Epiphyllum chrysocardium'' Alexander. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved March 14, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:92713-2 It is sometimes called fern leaf cactus, or golden heart epiphyllum.

Description

Vegetative characteristics

''Epiphyllum chrysocardium'' is a large, epiphytic plant with pale green, up to 1.8 m long,''Epiphyllum chrysocardium'' (Fernleaf Cactus). (2024, April 23). World of Succulents. Retrieved March 14, 2025, from https://worldofsucculents.com/selenicereus-chrysocardium-fernleaf-cactus/ and up to 30 cm wide

phylloclade Phylloclades and cladodes are flattened, photosynthetic shoots, which are usually considered to be modified branches. The two terms are used either differently or interchangeably by different authors. '' Phyllocladus'', a genus of conifer, is na ...

Generative characteristics

The nocturnal, white, fragrant flowers are 30–35 cm long. The filaments are golden yellow. The stigma has 12–13 lobes. The green, globose, 5–6.5 cm long, and 4–5 cm wide fruit is densely covered in bristles.

Taxonomy

It was published by

Edward Johnston Alexander Edward Johnston Alexander (July 31, 1901 – August 18, 1985) was an American botanist who discovered three species and one genus. He is the author or one of the authors of 205 entries in the International Plant Names Index. He was born in Ashevil ...

in 1956. It used to be the only species in the genus ''Chiapasophyllum'', in addition to a former inclusion in the genus ''

Selenicereus ''Selenicereus'', sometimes known as moonlight cactus, is a genus of Epiphyte, epiphytic, Lithophyte, lithophytic, and terrestrial cactus, cacti, found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The term night-bloomin ...

'' (commonly referred to as the fishbone, ric-rac or zig-zag cacti), but molecular

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...

studies show that it belongs to ''

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, thoug ...

''.

Etymology

The specific epithet ''chrysocardium'' from ''chryso-'' meaning gold and ''-cardium'' meaning heart-Cardium. (n.d.). Taber’s Medical Dictionary. Retrieved March 14, 2025, from https://www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/773459/all/_cardium means gold-hearted.Meier, E. (2004). ''Selenicereus chrysocardium'' (Alexander) Kimnach. Cactus Andaluz. Retrieved March 14, 2025, from https://www.cactusandaluz.de/Text_SeleniChrysocardium.php

Habitat and distribution

It occurs in the Mexican states Chiapas and Tabasco in montane cloud forests.

Conservation

''Epiphyllum chrysocardium'' is a threatened species.Manuel, J., RAMOS, C. M. B., MONTES, A. S. A., & Rodríguez, N. E. M. M. (2020)
''Epiphyllum chrysocardium'' (Cactaceae) en Tabasco:¿ Es o se parece?.
Desde El Herbario CICY, 12, 38–45, 2020. The

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

conservation status is data deficient (DD). The trade falls under the

CITES Appendix II CITES (shorter acronym for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of inte ...

regulations.

References

chrysocardium Flora of Mexico Endemic flora of Mexico Plants described in 1956 {{Cactus-stub