Badmin: Created page with "{{Taxobox | name = Dendrocereus | image = Dendrocereus_nudiflorus.jpg | kingdom = Plantae | family = Cactaceae | subfamily = Cactoideae | tribe = Phyllocacteae | subtribe = Corryocactinae | genus = '''Dendrocereus''' | notes = Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). }} == Etymology == The name is derived from the Greek ''dendron'' (tree) and the Latin ''cereus'' (wax candle), referring to the massive, arborescent (tree-like) growth habit of these plants..."

2026-04-02T16:34:29Z

Created page with "{{Taxobox | name = Dendrocereus | image = Dendrocereus_nudiflorus.jpg | kingdom = Plantae | family = Cactaceae | subfamily = Cactoideae | tribe = Phyllocacteae | subtribe = Corryocactinae | genus = '''Dendrocereus''' | notes = Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). }} == Etymology == The name is derived from the Greek ''dendron'' (tree) and the Latin ''cereus'' (wax candle), referring to the massive, arborescent (tree-like) growth habit of these plants..."

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{{Taxobox
| name = Dendrocereus
| image = Dendrocereus_nudiflorus.jpg
| kingdom = [[Plantae]]
| family = [[Cactaceae]]
| subfamily = [[Cactoideae]]
| tribe = [[Phyllocacteae]]
| subtribe = [[Corryocactinae]]
| genus = '''Dendrocereus'''
| notes = Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015).
}}

== Etymology ==
The name is derived from the Greek ''dendron'' (tree) and the Latin ''cereus'' (wax candle), referring to the massive, arborescent (tree-like) growth habit of these plants.

== Description ==
'''Dendrocereus''' consists of giant, tree-like cacti that can exceed 10 meters in height. They develop a true woody trunk, which can reach over 1 meter in diameter. The canopy is composed of numerous branches, typically with 3 to 5 ribs and strongly undulate or crenate margins.

The flowers are nocturnal, fragrant (with a scent reminiscent of birch), and widely funnel-shaped. They are primarily pollinated by bats. A standout feature of the genus is its fruit: globose to pear-shaped and reaching up to 12 cm in length, these are among the largest fruits in the entire ''Cactaceae'' family. They have a very thick, hard green skin and a mucilaginous pulp.

== Habitat ==
An insular genus found in the Caribbean, specifically in coastal undergrowths known as "maniguas" within dry tropical zones. They often grow very close to the sea.

== Distribution ==
* '''Cuba:''' Granma, Guantánamo, Matanzas (Endemic areas for ''D. nudiflorus'').
* '''Haiti:''' Northwestern regions.
* '''Dominican Republic:''' Altagracia, Pedernales.

== Species ==
Joël Lodé recognizes 2 species:

* [[Dendrocereus nudiflorus]] – The "Giant Bull Cactus" of Cuba; critically endangered.
* [[Dendrocereus undulosus]] – Found in Hispaniola; branches and blooms much earlier than its Cuban relative.

== Notes ==
* '''Conservation Crisis:''' ''Dendrocereus nudiflorus'' is facing extinction because its natural seed disperser has likely disappeared. Natural populations show a worrying lack of young specimens.
* '''Taxonomy:''' While previously grouped under ''Acanthocereus'', molecular studies (Hernández-Hernández et al., 2011) show a closer relationship to ''Leptocereus''.
* '''Evolutionary Convergence:''' This genus is a classic example of how unrelated plants (like ''Euphorbia candelabrum'') can evolve nearly identical forms to survive in similar climates.

[[Category:Cactaceae]]
[[Category:Cactoideae]]
[[Category:Phyllocacteae]]
[[Category:Corryocactinae]]

Dendrocereus - Revision history