180 THE CACTACEAE. 
Mag. Gart. Blumen. 1852: pl. opp. 176, f. 1, as E. truncatum elegans; Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio 
de Janeiro 2: pl. 3, as Zygocactus delicatus; Van Géel, Sert. Bot. 1: pl. 117 as Cactus trun- 
catus; Martius, FI. Bras. 4’: pl. 46; Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 16: pl. 80; Stand. Cycl. Hort. 
Bailey 6: f. 4055. 
Figure 185 shows a plant in the New York Botanical Garden which flowered December 
15, 1911; figure 186 shows a fruiting joint collected by Dr. Rose in the Organ Mountains of 
Brazil in 1915 (No. 20819); figure 187 is from a photograph of a cultivated plant obtained 
by, Dr. Rose in the Botanical Garden at Rio de Janeiro in 1915 (No. 20855). 
/ D 7 2. EPIPHYLLANTHUS Berger, Rep. Mo. Bot. Gard. 16: 84. 1905. 
Plants‘either epiphytic or growing in shade of rock in rich humus, often in clumps, more or less 
branched; joints globular, cylindric or much flattened; areoles scattered over surface of joints, 
circular, tomentose, either with or without spines; flowers zygomorphic, slender, purple to white; 
stamens somewhat exserted, arranged in 2 series, those forming the inner series united at base; 
style slender, a little longer than stamens; ovary angled, bearing a few small scales; fruit small. 
Type species: Epiphyllanthus obtusangulus Berger. 
The type of this genus has long been treated as a species of Cereus, although its 
dissimilarity to Cereus proper or to any of its immediate relatives must have been observed. 
It was left to Alwin Berger to call attention to its true alliance and to propose for it a new 
generic name; his statement regarding it is so clear that we quote from it as follows: 
“This very strange little plant, still rare in cultivation, can not be considered either a Cereus 
or an Epiphyllum. But no doubt it is much more nearly allied to the latter than to the former genus. 
Schumann brought it into Cereus on account of its round and ribbed stems, but there exists no 
Cereus of a similar articulated growth; only with Rhipsalis and Epiphyllum can it be compared. 
The plant resembles somewhat a minute Platyopuntia. The joints are slightly flattened and have 
numerous little prominent areoles distributed spirally all over the surface. In this it differs greatly 
from Epiphyllum with which it agrees in all the characters of the flowers, the angular, nearly alate 
ovary, and especially in the inner stamens being united at the base into a small incurved membrane. 
Also, the fruit resembles more that of an Epiphyllum than that of a Cereus. ‘The flowers rise from 
the top of the joints as in Epiphyllum. ‘The plant is best considered as generically different from 
both, but must be placed with Epiphyllum and Rhipsalis among the Inarmatae of K. Schumann.” 
We recognize 3 species, all from central Brazil. All occur on the high mountain 
Itatiaya, province of Rio de Janeiro; what their actual relationships may be can be deter- 
mined only by further field observations. They may all be referable to one variable species. 
The generic name was given because of the resemblance of the flowers of the type 
species to those of Epiphyllum truncatum (Zygocactus) 
KEY TO SPECIES. 
Joints or some of them flattened, Opuntia-like. ... re 
Joints terete or obtusely angled. 
Flower purple to rose... 0.1... c cece ee eee e ee ce eeee cece cee. 2. E. microsphaericus 
Flowers white. ....... 2.20. TEED Eiri pers sssss 3. E. candidus 
1. Epiphyllanthus obovatus (Engelmann). 
Epiphyllum obovatum Engelmann in Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen 22 8 
Epiphyllum opuntioides Lofgren and Dusén, Arch. Mus. Nac. Rio de Janeiro 13: 49. 1905. 
Zygocactus opuntioides Léfgren, Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio de Janeiro 2: 26. 1918. 
r Usually growing in shade of rocks, at first erect, becoming more or less decumbent, very much 
pranched; joints usually 5 to 7 cm. long, obovate to oblong, more or less flattened, often suggesting 
small joints of some Opuntia, bearing scattered areoles and these often spinescent; old and lower 
joints often nearly terete, bearing large areoles with numerous short yellow spines; flowers 5 cm. 
long, purple; ovary naked. 
Type locality: Brazil. 
Distribution: Central Brazil. 
x Dr. Rose collected this species on Itatiaya, altitude about 2,300 meters, in July 1915 
(No. 20495); the plant did not do well in cultivation with us and his specimens died. 
... I. E. obovatus 
