Rhipsalideae

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Rhipsalideae

Rhipsalis burchellii Britton & Rose

Images | Description | Publications | Reduced Synonyms

No. 05740, descent Itaitaia to Ponta Crossa, Paraná, Brazil – material sampled, Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae), Nadja Korotkova, Ph.D. Thesis, 2012

Rhipsalis burchellii, No. 05740, descent Itaitaia to Ponta Crossa, Paraná, Brazil, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis burchellii, No. 05740, descent Itaitaia to Ponta Crossa, Paraná, Brazil, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis burchellii, No. 05740, descent Itaitaia to Ponta Crossa, Paraná, Brazil, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis burchellii, Bonn 5740, Brazil, Paraná, descent Itaitaia to Ponta Crossa
Photo: Ralf Bauer
Rhipsalis burchellii, Bonn 5740, Brazil, Paraná, descent Itaitaia to Ponta Crossa
Photo: Ralf Bauer


No. 36056

Rhipsalis burchellii, No. 36056, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis burchellii, No. 36056, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis burchellii, No. 36056, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de

Unknown clone

Rhipsalis burchellii
Photo: Horst Kündiger

Unknown clone

Rhipsalis burchellii
Photo: Shacarah Gagnon-Kvale
Rhipsalis burchellii
Photo: Shacarah Gagnon-Kvale
Rhipsalis burchellii
Photo: Shacarah Gagnon-Kvale
Rhipsalis burchellii
Photo: Shacarah Gagnon-Kvale


Botanical illustrations and historical images

Rhipsalis burchellii
The Cactaceae, Volume 4, 1923
Possibly Rhipsalis burchellii (Rhipsalis campos-portoana syn. Rhipsalis cribrata Lem.), due to the lack of fruit it is not possible to determine if this sketch is R. burchellii or R. campos-portoana. However, the elongated floral ovary and abundance of stamen indicate it was likely R. burchellii.
Blühende Kakteen (Iconographia Cactacearum): Im auftrage der Deutschen Kakteen-Gesellschaft, 1902
Possibly Rhipsalis burchellii (Rhipsalis campos-portoana syn. Rhipsalis cribrata Lem.), due to the lack of flowers and fruit it is not possible to determine if this sketch is R. burchellii or another taxa.
Möllers Deutsche Gärtner-Zeitung, Volume 18, 1903

Description

The accepted name Rhipsalis burchellii Britton & Rose was published in Cactaceae 4: 225. 1923.

The geographic range is Brazil (Santa Catarina, Paraná, Espírito Santo, São Paulo) found at elevations of 0-900 meters with an endangered status of least concern.

Rhipsalis burchellii is classified in the subgenus Erythrorhipsalis.

Observed growing as an epiphyte. Overall habit is pendant, branches are dimorphic (more than one stem shape) and acrotonic (stems form from the tips of previous stems).

Stems are round, bristles are absent. Basal stems are indeterminate (seasonal growth is various lengths), 14cm-50cm x 0.2cm-0.5cm. Main stems are determinate (seasonal growth is about the same length), 2.5cm-7cm x 0.1cm-0.2cm.

Flowers are campanulate (bell shaped), 1.5cm-2cm x 2cm-2.5cm. Petals from 8 to 12, sepal count is unreported. Inner petals are white, outer petals are white, pink or magenta. Stamen are orange, pink or red, from 30 to 40. Stigma lobes from 4 to 5. Flower ovary is obconical, 0.5cm-0.6cm x 0.5cm.

Flowering position on the stem is subapical to apical and the flower orientation in relation to the stem is parallel. Does not repeat flowering per areole. A maximum of 3 flowers were reported at a single areole. Areole position in the stems is superficial (flower ovary is visible on the surface of the stems during bud development). Trichomes or wool is absent at the areoles after flowering.

Unripe fruit is green or pink. Ripe fruit is obconical-ovoid; pink, magenta, red or purple, 0.5cm-0.8cm x 0.4cm-1cm.

Other notable features:
R. burchellii typically has the thinnest secondary or main stems of the Rhipsalis. Certain species can be more prone to producing betalains that color the stems reddish in higher light conditions, R. burchellii is one of them, however stem color is not a good identifying characteristic for any species. It is highly inconsistent within the species populations. There are specimen that maintain green stems in higher light conditions. The truest identifiable characteristics to differentiate this species from other similar closely related1,2 species R. campos-portoana, R. ormindoi, and R. juengeri are the distinct larger obconical flower ovary, orange-pink color stamen (also occurs in R. campos-portoana), pink to magenta fruit color (also occurs in R. juengeri, and rarely in R. clavata and R. ormindoi), and distinct fruit shape.

1Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae), Nadja Korotkova, Ph.D. Thesis, 2012
2Molecular phylogeny, evolution and systematics of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae), Alice Calvente, Ph.D. Thesis, 2010

Taxonomic treatment and description were derived from:
  • The referenced publications below
    • published material was examined and consolidated
      • to determine minimum and maximum size ranges
      • to determine color variations and shapes
  • In rare cases
    • if minimum and maximum values were unreported, authors examined their own materials
    • if clearly observed colors were unreported, authors expanded the botanical descriptions

Rhipsalis burchellii referenced publications

TitleAuthorsTypeJournalYearVolumeIssuePagesPublisher
Epifytische cactussen, rhipsalis.eu. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Aat van UijenWebsite2025
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew | Plants of the World Online. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Website2025
The Caryophyllales Network 2015+ [continuously updated]: A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Website2025
WFO The World Flora Online. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Website2025
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-2. accessed on 2025-01-07Website2024
Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org – a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the familyNadja Korotkova, David Aquino, Salvador Arias, Urs Eggli, Alan Franck, Carlos Gómez-Hinostrosa, Pablo C. Guerrero, Héctor M. Hernández, Andreas Kohlbecker, Matias Köhler, Katja Luther, Lucas C. Majure, Andreas Müller, Detlev Metzing, Reto Nyffeler, Daniel Sánchez, Boris Schlumpberger, Walter G. BerendsohnJournal ArticleWilldenowia2021512251 – 270Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin (BGBM)
Rhipsalis, cactussen uit het tropische woud 6Aat van UijenJournal ArticleSucculenta202099262-67
Cactaceae in Flora do Brasil 2020. Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Daniela C. Zappi, Nigel P. TaylorWebsite2020
Rhipsalis, cactussen uit het tropische woud 1Aat van UijenJournal ArticleSucculenta2017966270-275
Rhipsalis (Cactaceae): loss and gain of floral rewards is mirrored in range sizes and distribution patterns of speciesBernadette Grosse-Veldmann, Stefan Abrahamczyk, Jens Mutke, Wilhelm Barthlott, Maximilian WeigendJournal ArticleBotanical Journal of the Linnean Society2016180491-503
Cactaceae in the state of Paraná, BrasilAndré Soller, Patricia Soffiatti, Alice Calvente, Renato GoldenbergJournal ArticleRodriguésia201465201-219
Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)Nadja KorotkovaPh.D. Thesis2012Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
Molecular Phylogeny, Evolution, and Biogeography of South American Epiphytic CactiAlice Calvente, Daniela C. Zappi, Félix Forest, Lúcia G. LohmannJournal ArticleInternational Journal of Plant Sciences20111727902-914
What does it take to resolve relationship and to identify species with molecular markers? An example from the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)Nadja Korotkova, Borsch T, Dietmar Quandt, Nigel P. Taylor, Müller K, Wilhelm BarthlottJournal ArticleAmerican Journal of Botany2011981549-1572
A New Species of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae) from BrazilMaria de Fátima Freitas, Alice Calvente, João Marcelo Alvarenga BragaJournal ArticleSystematic Botany2009343505-509
Empfehlenswerte Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten - Marginatocereus marginatus - Duvalia parviflora Echinocactus grusonii - Rhipsalis burchellii Echeveria purpusorum - Ferocactus rectispinusSilvia GrätzJournal ArticleKakteen und andere Sukkulenten200960255
CactaceaeDaniela C. Zappi, Lidyanne Yuriko Saleme Aona, Nigel P. TaylorJournal ArticleFlora Fanerogâmica do Estado de São Paulo20075180-193
The New Cactus Lexicon: Atlas of illustrationsDavid Hunt, Nigel P. Taylor, Graham CharlesBook2006104-120DH Books
The New Cactus Lexicon: TextDavid Hunt, Nigel P. Taylor, Graham CharlesBook2006138-139,142-143,253-257DH Books
Cacti of Eastern BrazilNigel P. Taylor, Daniela C. ZappiBook2004The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Taxonomy and Phytogeography of the Cactaceae of Eastern BrazilNigel P. TaylorPh.D. Thesis2000
Die Namen der Gattungen und Arten epiphytischer Kakteen. Teil 1. RhipsalideaeRalf BauerJournal ArticleEPIG19968247-51
Rhipsalis hoelleri Barthlott et Taylor, eine neue Art aus BrasilienRalf BauerJournal ArticleEPIG19968243-45
Notes towards a Monograph of Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)Wilhelm Barthlott, Nigel P. TaylorJournal ArticleBradleya19951343-79British Cactus and Succulent Society
Bericht über zwei Vorträge von Myron Kimnach und Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Barthlott über ihre Ansichten zur Gattungsgliederung innerhalb der epiphytischen KakteenRalf BauerJournal ArticleEPIG19913464-71
In Kultur beobachtet Rhipsalis burchelliiWolfgang BurowJournal ArticleKakteen und andere Sukkulenten1990416101
Zur Kultur der von Volgin erweiterten Gattung Erythrorhipsalis BergerD. V. SemenovJournal ArticleKakteen und andere Sukkulenten198637480-81
Cactus LexiconCurt Backeberg, Walther HaageBook1966205,220-222,440-449, 647, 750Blandford Press Ltd. (1966-1973)
Rhipsalis cribrata Lem.G. D. DuursmaJournal ArticleSucculenta195029461
The Cactaceae : descriptions and illustrations of plants of the cactus familyNathaniel Lord Britton, Mary E. Eaton, N. J. Rose, Helen Adelaide WoodBook19234208-247Carnegie Institution of Washington
Möllers Deutsche Gärtner-ZeitungLudwig MöllerBook190318585-586

Reduced Synonyms

NameReduced byPublished DatePublished In
Erythrorhipsalis burchellii (Britton & Rose) VolginBarthlott & Taylor (1995)1981Vestn. Moskovsk. Univ., Ser. 16, Biol. 36(3): 19. 1981
Rhipsalis cribrata Loefgr.Britton & Rose (1923)1915Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio de Janeiro 1: 81. pl. 10. 1915
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