''Hylocereus'' is a former

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of epiphytic

cacti 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, ...

, often referred to as night-blooming cactus (though the term is also used for many other cacti). Several

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

previously placed in the genus have large edible

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

s, which are known as

pitaya Pitaya () or pitahaya () (common names strawberry pear or dragon fruit) is the fruit of several cactus species indigenous to the region of southern Mexico and along the Pacific coasts of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. Pitaya is cult ...

s, pitahayas or dragonfruits. In 2017, a

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

study confirmed an earlier finding that the genus ''Hylocereus'' was nested within ''Selenicereus'', so all the species of ''Hylocereus'' were transferred to ''

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 ...

''.

Description

The species previously placed in the genus ''Hylocereus'' grow hanging, climbing or epiphytic. They are freely branched, shrubby plants that form aerial roots and become very large with a height of 10 m or more. The green, often glaucous shoots are usually terete or triangular.

Taxonomy

In the 1994 classification of the International Cactaceae Systematics Group of the

International Organization for Succulent Plant Study The International Organization for Succulent Plant Study (IOS) describes itself as a "non-governmental organization promoting the study and conservation of succulent and allied plants and encouraging collaboration among scientists and curators ...

, the genus ''Hylocereus'' was one of the six genera of the tribe

Hylocereeae The Hylocereeae are a tribe of cacti. Most are found in the tropical forests of Central and northern South America, and are climbers or epiphytes, unlike most cacti. The tribe includes between six and eight genera in different circumscriptio ...

., p. 101 A 2011 study of the

molecular phylogeny Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

of the Cactaceae concluded that neither the tribe nor the genus was

monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...

(i.e. neither comprised all the descendants of a common ancestor). Two species of ''Hylocereus'' formed a

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

with two species of ''

'', suggesting that the genera were not distinct. This result was confirmed in a larger study in 2017, and all the species of ''Hylocereus'' were transferred to ''Selenicereus''.

Species

Species that were placed in the genus in 2012 that are now placed in ''Selenicereus'' include the following. *''Hylocereus calcaratus'' → ''

Selenicereus calcaratus ''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 ...

'' *''Hylocereus costaricensis'' → ''

Selenicereus costaricensis ''Selenicereus costaricensis'', synonym ''Hylocereus costaricensis'', known as the Costa Rican pitahaya or Costa Rica nightblooming cactus, is a cactus species native to Central America and north-eastern South America. The species is grown comme ...

'' *''Hylocereus escuintlensis'' → ''

Selenicereus escuintlensis ''Selenicereus'', sometimes known as moonlight cactus, is a genus of epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial cacti, found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The term night-blooming cereus is also sometimes use ...

'' *''Hylocereus megalanthus'' → ''

Selenicereus megalanthus ''Selenicereus megalanthus'', synonym ''Hylocereus megalanthus'', is a cactus species in the genus ''Selenicereus'' that is native to northern South America, where it is known, along with its fruit, by the name of ''pitahaya''. The species is gr ...

'' *''Hylocereus monacanthus'' → ''

Selenicereus monacanthus ''Selenicereus monacanthus'', synonym ''Hylocereus monacanthus'', is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is native to parts of Central America and South America (Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Toba ...

'' *''Hylocereus minutiflorus'' → ''

Selenicereus minutiflorus ''Selenicereus'', sometimes known as moonlight cactus, is a genus of epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial cacti, found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The term night-blooming cereus is also sometimes use ...

'' *''Hylocereus ocamponis'' → ''

Selenicereus ocamponis ''Selenicereus'', sometimes known as moonlight cactus, is a genus of epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial cacti, found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The term night-blooming cereus is also sometimes use ...

'' *''Hylocereus setaceus'' → ''

Selenicereus setaceus ''Selenicereus setaceus'', synonym ''Hylocereus setaceus'', is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropi ...

'' *''Hylocereus stenopterus'' → ''

Selenicereus stenopterus ''Selenicereus'', sometimes known as moonlight cactus, is a genus of epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial cacti, found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The term night-blooming cereus is also sometimes use ...

'' *''Hylocereus triangularis'' → ''

Selenicereus triangularis ''Selenicereus'', sometimes known as moonlight cactus, is a genus of epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial cacti, found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The term night-blooming cereus is also sometimes use ...

'' *''Hylocereus trigonus'' → ''

Selenicereus trigonus ''Selenicereus'', sometimes known as moonlight cactus, is a genus of epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial cacti, found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The term night-blooming cereus is also sometimes use ...

'' *''Hylocereus undatus'' → ''

Selenicereus undatus ''Selenicereus undatus'', the white-fleshed pitahaya, is a species of the genus ''Selenicereus'' (formerly ''Hylocereus'') in the family Cactaceae and is the most cultivated species in the genus. It is used both as an ornamental vine and as a f ...

References

CactiGuide: ''Hylocereus''
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q133960, from2=Q14928251 Historically recognized angiosperm genera Cacti of North America Night-blooming plants

Description

Taxonomy

Species

See also

References