HPIPHYLLUM. 1 89 



This species has long been cultivated and has always been a great favorite on account 

 of the ease with which it is grown and the abundance of large flowers it furnishes. These 

 begin to open in the early evening and are perfect about midnight. 



According to Mr. Pittier, this plant is known as flor de baile in Venezuela. 



Epiphyllum latifrons Zuccarini (Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 125. 1837) was given as a 

 synonym of Cereus latifrons when that name was first published. 



The name Cactus oxypetalus Mocino and Sesse was the first one given to this plant, 

 but De Candolle (Prodr. 3: 470. 1828) published the species as a Cereus, citing the above 

 name as a synonym. 



The following hybrids were listed by Labouret (Monogr. Cact. 429. 1853) between 

 Phyllocactus latifrons and some other species of Epiphyllum or related genera ; Phyllocactus 

 longipes, P. lothii, P. londonii, P. macquianus, P. maelenii, P. maurantianus, P. mexicanus, 

 P. roseus albus, P. roseus superhus, P. selloi, P. smoli, and P. smithii. 



Illustrations: Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 17: 35, as Phyllocactus purpusii; Meehans' 

 Monthly 12: 188, as Epiphyllum latifrons; Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 17: pi. 14, as 

 Cereus oxypetalus; Forster, Handb. Cact. ed. 2. 849. f. 112, as Phyllocactus oxypetalus; 

 Rother, Praktischer Leitfaden Kakteen 93 ; Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 20: 123, as Phyllocactus 

 grandis; Martins, Fl. Bras. 4-: pi. 45, as Epiphyllum acuminatum; Engler and Prantl, 

 Pflanzenfam. 3*'': f. 59, D, as Phyllocactus acuminatus; Gard. Chron. 1849: 788; Pfeiffer 

 and Otto, Abbild. Beschr. Cact. i : pi. 10, f. 2, 3; Curtis's Bot. Mag. 67: pi. 3813, as Cereus 

 latifrons; Gartenwelt 10: 560; Cact. Journ. i : 55 ; Goebel, Pflanz. Schild. i: pi. 2, f. 6; 

 Schelle, Handb. Kakteenk. 209. f. 139; 210. f. 140, as Phyllocactus latifrons. 



Fig. 196. — Epiphyllum pumilum. X 0.5. 



3. Epiphyllum pumilum Britton and Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. i6: 258. 1913. 

 Phyllocactus pumilus Vaupel, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23: 117. 1893. 



At first erect or ascending but often becoming pendent, sometimes 5 meters long; main stems 

 terete; branches of two types; some of them elongated, 8 to 15 dm. long, terete, whip-like, sometimes 

 becoming flattened at tip; some broad and flattened, rarely 3-winged, except at base, usually acute 

 or acuminate, i to 6 dm. long, 3 to 8.5 cm. broad, becoming thick when old, the margin remotely 

 toothed; flowers small for the genus; tube 5 to 6 cm. long, greenish white to reddish, bearing a few 

 very small ascending and appressed reddish scales ; outer perianth-segments linear, greenish or red- 

 dish, acute; inner perianth-segments white, lanceolate, acuminate, 3 to 4 cm. long; stamens in two 

 groups; style slender, white, oblong, 4 to 7 cm. long, 2 to 2.5 cm. in diameter; fruit brilliant cerise 

 when ripe, 5 to 7-ridged, bearing a few very small reddish ascending scales; pulp of fruit white, 

 edible, sweet; seeds minute, jet-black. 



