Schlumbergera

Schlumbergera
File:Schlumbergera truncata.jpg
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Cactaceae
Subfamily	Cactoideae
Tribe	Rhipsalideae
SubTribe
Genus	Schlumbergera
Species
Notes	Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015) with reference to Barthlott (1987), Cálvente et al. (2011), and Korotkova (2011).

Etymology

Named in honour of Frédéric Schlumberger (1823–1893), French cactus collector.

Description

Schlumbergera is a genus of epiphytic cacti with flattened segmented stems and showy, zygomorphic flowers.

• Habit: Epiphytic or epilithic; pendulous or slightly ascending; densely branched.
• Stems: Flattened, segmented (phylloclades); elongated to obovate; sometimes resembling Opuntia (e.g. S. opuntioides).
• Branching: Acrotonic.
• Epidermis: Often tinged purple under strong light.
• Areoles: Located at segment margins and apices.
• Spines: Short, setose or absent.
• Flowers: Diurnal; self-sterile; terminal.
• Flower symmetry: Zygomorphic (bilateral).
• Flower color: Pink, purple, red, white, yellow, orange (especially in cultivars).
• Floral structures: Well-developed floral tube with tepaloid scales.
• Pollination: By hummingbirds.
• Fruits: Berry-like; globose to turbinate; pink, red or greenish-yellow.
• Seeds: Ovoid to kidney-shaped; dark brown; smooth or finely pitted.
• Seed dispersal: By birds and small primates.

Habitat

Occurs in humid montane environments:

• ombrophilous rainforests
• epiphytic in tree hollows
• humus pockets and rock crevices
• occasionally terrestrial

Altitude range: approximately 100–2790 m.

Distribution

Endemic to southeastern Brazil:

• Espírito Santo
• Minas Gerais
• Rio de Janeiro

Taxonomy

A genus with a complex phylogenetic history.

Key points:

• Separated from Hatiora based on floral symmetry (Barthlott 1987)
• Anderson (2001) and Hunt et al. (2006): retained a broader concept
• Cálvente et al. (2011): suggested merging with Hatiora and Rhipsalidopsis
• Korotkova (2011): clarified relationships and supported separation
• Hatiora epiphylloides transferred into Schlumbergera

The genus is accepted as distinct in Lodé (2015).

Species

According to Joël Lodé (2015):

• Schlumbergera kautskyi
• Schlumbergera lutea
• Schlumbergera lutea subsp. bradei
• Schlumbergera microsphaerica
• Schlumbergera opuntioides
• Schlumbergera orssichiana
• Schlumbergera russelliana
• Schlumbergera truncata

Notes

• Commonly known as the "Christmas cactus".
• One of the most widely cultivated cacti worldwide.
• Distinguished from Rhipsalidopsis by zygomorphic flowers.
• Highly hybridized in cultivation, leading to numerous cultivars.
• Adapted to humid forest environments rather than arid habitats.