EPIPHRONITIS 



EPIPHYLLUM 



1123 



Veftchii, Hort. (Epidendrum radicans x Sophronltis 

 grandiflora). Fls. like those of Epidendrum radicans, 

 which it much resembles in habit, but the parts all 

 broader. C.O. 1. GEORGE V. NASH. 



EPIPHYLL. A plant that grows on a leaf . It is a kind 

 of epiphyte. The epiphylls are alga?, lichens, liverworts, 

 and mosses. The name is applied to those species or 

 kinds that find their physical support on foliage leaves 

 rather than to those that are parasitic on them as are 

 the fungi. Epiphyllous plants are likely to be most 

 abundant in the tropics. 



EPIPHYLLANTHUS (flower upon the leaf). Cac- 

 tacese. Epiphytic: sts. much branched, jointed, ribbed: 

 areoles bearing setae instead of spines: fls. resembling 

 those of Zygocactus ; ovary angled. One species known. 

 Native of Brazil. For cult., see Succulents. 



obtusangulus, Berger (Cereus obtusdngulus, Schu- 

 mann). Joints somewhat flattened, about 10-ribbed: 

 stamens of two kinds. Although usually considered a 

 Cereus, it is more closely related to Zygocactus, but 

 from both it seems generically distinct. Indeed Berger 

 says it resembles certain Opuntias and seems to have a 

 relationship with Rhipsalis. It is not grown in this 

 country, and is still rare in Eu. J. N. ROSE. 



EPIPHYLLUM (on a leaf; refers to the leaf-like 

 branches on which the flower grows). Cactacese. Spine- 

 less upright branched flat-stemmed cacti with very 

 large and showy flowers, some of them popular as house- 

 plants. 



Branches flat, 2-edged, crenate or serrate on the 

 margins, spineless: fls. usually large, mostly nocturnal; 

 petals white, red, or yellow; stamens elongated, numer- 

 ous: fr. oblong in outline, bearing a few bracts, red, 

 juicy; seeds numerous, black. In the Cyclopedia of 

 American Horticulture, the name Phyllocactus was 

 used for this genus, but this is a much later name and 

 hence it is given up. The epiphyllums of the first 

 Cyclopedia will be found under Zygocactus. For cult., 

 see Succulents. 



Several hundred hybrids are in the trade, the most 

 common ones being with E. crenatum, E. Ackermannii 

 and E. phyllanthoides. Fig. 1401. Crosses are often 

 made with the various Cereus allies, such as Heliocereus 

 speciosus, and with some species of Echinopsis. 



A. Tube offl. always elongated, usually much longer than 

 the limb; petals white or yellowish: mostly night- 

 bloomers. 



B. Style white. 

 C. Branches thin, usually spreading in some plane: petals 



pure white. 



oxypetalum, Haw. (Phyllocdctus grdndis, Lem.). 

 Very large, sometimes 20 ft. long, with numerous short 

 side branches, and these in the same plane with the 

 main st., thin and If .-like: fl. large (nearly a foot long), 

 white, night-blooming (sometimes described as day- 

 blooming). Originally from Mex., but said to be found 

 in Honduras and Guatemala; also reported from Cuba, 

 but surely not native there. G.W. 10:560 (as Phyllo- 

 cactus latifrons). One of the commonest and best 

 species in cult, 

 cc. Branches thick, not spreading in the same plane: 



petals cream-colored or yellow. 

 D. Fls. large: sts. with shallow crenations. 

 crenatum, Don (Phyllocdctus crendtus, Lem.). Sts. 

 about 3 ft. long, erect, thick, strongly crenate, some- 

 what glaucous: midrib very thick: fl. large, 6-1' 

 long, said to be a day-bloomer; petals white or cream- 

 colored in life, drying yellow; tube 4-5 in. long; style 

 said to be white; very fragrant. Guatemala and b. Mex., 

 and said to come from Honduras. 



DD. Fls. small for the genus: sts. with deeply cut 



margins. 



anguliger, Don (Phyllocdctus angiiliger, Lem.). 

 About 3 ft. high, much branched below: branches 

 narrow, thick, with deeply cut margins: fls. 5-8 in. 

 long, with a slender tube; petals yellow. 



BB. Style red. 

 c. Sts. stiff, erect. 



strictum, Brit. & Rose (Phyllocdctus strictus, Lem.). 

 Erect, branching, reaching a height of 10 ft., with long 

 cylindrical branches and shorter, If.-like secondary 

 branches: crenatures or teeth rather deep, unequal on 

 the opposite sides: bristles wanting: tube of the fl. very 

 long and slender, outer sepals brownish, inner pure 

 white; the fl. opens late in the evening and closes before 

 dawn; in full bloom the sepals are very strongly 

 recurved. Said to come from Cuba. Often found in 

 collections under the name of P. latifrons. 



cc. Sts. rather weak, spreading. 

 D. Petals very narrow: areoles bearing black bristles. 



latifrons, Zucc. (Phyllocdctus Idtifrons, Link. P. 

 stenopetalus, Salm-Dyck?). Branches very long and 

 large, crenate or somewhat serrate, acute or acuminate: 

 midrib and usually side ribs evident: areoles with rather 

 large scales and dark bristles: fl. 8-10 in. long, spread- 

 ing and in full bloom bent backward; petals narrow. 

 Supposed to be from Mex., but not known from wild 

 material. Much advertised as the queen cactus. 



DD. Petals broader: areoles without bristles. 



Hodkeri, Haw. (Phyllocdctus Hobkeri, Salm-Dyck). 

 Sts. 6-10 ft. high: branches rather thin, light green, 

 strongly crenate: fls. night-blooming, 8-9 in. long; fl.- 

 tube narrow, tinged with yellow; sepals narrow, lemon- 

 yellow; petals pure white, narrow, 2 in. long; stamens 

 in a single series; style red. Brazil and Guiana. B.M. 



1401. One of the many hybrid Epiphyllums. 



2692 (as Cactus phyUanthus) .Although long in cult., 

 the species is not now well known, there being 2 or 

 more closely related species in cult, under this name. 



AA. Tube of fls. short, always shorter than the limb: day- 

 bloomers. 



B. Style reddish: fls. 4 1 A in. broad. 

 Ackennannii, Haw. (Phyllocdctus Ackermannii, Salm- 

 Dyck). Fig. 1402. Sts. numerous, sometimes reach- 

 ing 3 ft., somewhat recurved: branches usually less 

 than a foot long, with evident middle and side ribs: 

 areoles on the lower and younger shoots bearing short 

 bristles: fls. scarlet-red outside, carmine-red within, 



