Schlumbergera
Schlumbergera truncata
Schlumbergera is a genus of flowering plants of the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The botanical name of the genus honors the French cacti collectors and breeders Frédéric Schlumberger ( 1823-1893 ). The German common name Christmas cactus of some species refers to the usual flowering time of plants in Germany.
Description
The species of the genus Schlumbergera grow shrubby epiphytic or lithophytic with richly branched, numerous shoots. The segmented shoots are flattened, compressed and 2- winged (rarely 3- winged ) or turning round and oblong to obovate. The areolae located on the sides of the drive sections, and at the end thereof, or they are disposed spirally over the entire surface. The thorns are like bristles and short or absent.
The numbers that appear at the tips of the engine sections flowers are radial symmetry to strongly zygomorphic. Their color varies from purplish to pink to red, orange, yellow to white. Well-defined flower-tube is filled with petal-like scales. The fused to a short tube stamens protrude from the flower tube.
The berry-like fruits are ribbed or turning round and have a perennial flower rest. They contain oval to kidney-shaped, shiny brown to black, smooth to tiny dotted seeds of up to 1 mm in length and diameter.
Systematics and distribution
The genus Schlumbergera is in the Mata Atlântica in southeastern Brazil in the states of Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo widespread in the coastal mountains.
The first description was published in 1858 by Charles Lemaire. The genus includes the formerly independent genera Zygocactus and Epiphyllanthus. The type species of the genus Schlumbergera is epiphylloides. The genus Schlumbergera include the following species and hybrids:
- Schlumbergera × buckleyi
- Schlumbergera × exotica
- Schlumbergera kautskyi
- Schlumbergera microsphaerica Schlumbergera microsphaerica subsp. microsphaerica
- Schlumbergera microsphaerica subsp. candida
- Schlumbergera russelliana
- Schlumbergera truncata
Synonyms of the genus Epiphyllum are Pfeiff. , Zygocactus K.Schum. , Epiphyllanthus A.Berger, Opuntiopsis gag and Zygocereus Fric.
Endangering
In Appendix I of the CITES Convention no species of the genus Schlumbergera are included. In the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN, however, three species are listed with different threat status. Schlumbergera kautskyi is called " Endangered ( EN ) ', ie endangered and Schlumbergera opuntioides as " Near Threatened (NT) ", ie Threatened classified. About the threat of Schlumbergera microsphaerica are insufficient data.