Hylocereus
Hylocereus Monacanthus
Hylocereus is a genus of flowering plants of the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The botanical name of the genus derives from the Greek noun for ύλη hyle "forest", meaning " forest Cereus ". The type species of the genus Hylocereus triangularis is.
The species of the genus Hylocereus have the largest flowers in the cactus family. Its fruits are often edible.
Description
The species of the genus Hylocereus grow klimmend, climbing or epiphytic. There are free branched, shrubby plants which develop aerial roots and become very large with a height of 10 meters or more. Her green, often glauken shoots are dreiflüglig or triangular in general. The areoles wear short wool. Spines are only a few short or non-existent.
The very large, funnel-shaped flowers are white or rarely red. They open usually at night. The Perikarpell and the corolla tube are covered with broad, triangular, leaf-like scales. The areoles on the flower are bald.
The egg-shaped to oblong, fleshy fruits are usually covered with red and broad scales. They open irregularly and have a permanent or falling blossoms rest. The elongated to kidney-shaped, small seeds are shiny black.
Distribution and systematics
The genus Hylocereus is widespread in the south of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America. The description as Cereus subg. Hylocereus, that is, as a subgenus of Cereus, was made in 1905 by Alwin Berger. Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose in 1909 they rose to the rank of a separate genus. The type species of the genus Cactus triangularis.
Belong to the genus of the following types:
- Hylocereus calcaratus
- Hylocereus costaricensis
- Hylocereus escuintlensis
- Hylocereus guatemalensis
- Hylocereus minutiflorus
- Hylocereus Monacanthus
- Hylocereus ocamponis
- Hylocereus purpusii
- Hylocereus stenopterus
- Hylocereus triangularis
- Hylocereus trigonus
- Hylocereus undatus
The genus includes the former genus Wilmattea one with her only way Wilmattea minutiflora, which is still regarded by some authors as independent.
A synonym of the genus is Wilmattea Britton & Rose (1920).
Use
The Fruits of Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus Monacanthus traded as pitahaya or dragon fruit.