Family: Cactaceae
Kingdom: Plantae Rank: Family Parent: Caryophyllales Status: Valid
Common Names:
- Cactaceae - English, United States of America
Vegetative Morphology
Habit: Succulent climbers, usually epiphytic, in the study region.
Branch: Stems green, succulent, angled.
Leaves: Leaves vestigial; axillary buds called aereoles positioned along stem and forming cushions of small spine-like hairs.
Reproductive Morphology
Inflorescence: Inflorescence terminal or arising from aereoles.
Flowers: Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual; receptacle of hypanthium usually conspicuous, enclosing ovary, often bearing bracts, fleshy scales, and aereoles; tepals 5 to numerous arranged in a series, the inner tepals showy, white; stamens numerous; ovary inferior, 1-locular, with 3-20 carpels, the style long, the stigma 3-20-lobed; ovules numerous.
Fruit: Fruit a berry, fleshy, juicy, the outer wall formed by the stem-like receptacle, bearing aereoles.
Seeds: Seeds numerous per fruit, black, often smooth.