Rhipsalideae

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Rhipsalideae

Rhipsalis occidentalis Barthlott & Rauh

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No. 35392, Near Rioja, Northern Peru, Rauh & Barthlott

Rhipsalis occidentalis, near Rioja, northern Peru, No. 35392, Rauh & Barthlott ,© W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis occidentalis, near Rioja, northern Peru, No. 35392, Rauh & Barthlott ,© W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis occidentalis, near Rioja, northern Peru, No. 35392, Rauh & Barthlott ,© W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de

Description

The accepted name Rhipsalis occidentalis Barthlott & Rauh was published in Kakteen And. Sukk. 38: 17. 1987.

The geographic range is Ecuador; Peru; Suriname found at elevations of 950 meters with an endangered status of least concern.

Rhipsalis occidentalis is classified in the subgenus Phyllarthrorhipsalis.

Observed growing as an epiphyte. Overall habit is pendant, branches are monomorphic (single stem shape) and acrotonic or mesotonic (stems form from the tips to middle of previous stems).

Stems are 2 to 3 angled, margins have low to deep crenations, sometimes undulating or frilled (slightly to deeply scalloped), bristles are absent. Main stems are determinate (seasonal growth is about the same length), 6cm-12cm x 2cm-6.5cm.

Flowers are rotate: reflexed (wheel shaped: reflexed), 0.8cm x 1cm. Petals 7, sepal count is unreported. Inner petals are translucent-white, outer petals are white, cream, green or pink. Stamen are white, from 42 to 50. Stigma lobes 4. Flower ovary is cylindrical, unreported x unreported.

Flowering position on the stem is lateral and the flower orientation in relation to the stem is perpendicular. Does repeat flowering per areole. A maximum of 2 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 white, green or brown. Ripe fruit is globose; white or red, 0.75cm x 0.65cm-0.7cm.

Other notable features:
R. occidentalis is closely related1,2 to and can be difficult to distinguish from some specimen of R. barthlottii, R. crispata, R. cuneata, and R. oblonga. Identifying characteristics are the white fruit, fruit shape, inner stamen being shorter than outer stamen, and smaller translucent predominantly white flowers. It is very closely related to R. cuneata1,2 and is possibly a synonym3 of it. Phylloclades reportedly grow to much smaller size in cultivation than those found in the field. Can present with an undulating or frilly stem margins, but that is not a good identifying characteristic for this species as R. barthlottii, R. crispata, R. oblonga, R. cuneata, R. goebeliana, and R. rhombea at least, also present the same characteristic.

Comments:
R. occidentalis (Ecuador and Peru) was synonymized with R. cuneata subsp. cuneata (Bolivia) by Ralf Bauer3, however a later in Nadja Korotkova, Ph.D. Thesis they are kept them separated, no reason was provided for the separate treatment1. The majority of taxonomic databases reviewed currently treat it as a separate accepted species.

Pictures of R. occidentalis from (Ecuador and Peru) can found in Rhipsalis occidentalis Barthlott et Rauh. Eine neue Art mit blattartig abgeflachten Sprossen aus Ecuador und Peru, Wilhelm Barthlott, Werner Rauh, Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten 38:1 16-19, 1987. EPIG 62 contains several photographs of R. cuneata subsp. cuneata (images from Ecuador and Peru should be regarded as R. occidentalis).

Material Sampled, Calvente 381, Loja, Ecuador (QCNE), in Molecular Phylogeny, Evolution, and Biogeography of South American Epiphytic Cacti4

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
3Rhipsalis cuneata Britton & Rose, eine variable Art mit flachen Trieben von den Ostabhängen der Anden Boliviens, Perus and Ecuadors - mit Beschreibung der neuen Unterart R. cuneata subsp. australis Ralf Bauer subsp. nov., Ralf Bauer, EPIG, 62:5-28, 2008
4Molecular Phylogeny, Evolution, and Biogeography of South American Epiphytic Cacti, Alice Calvente, Daniela C. Zappi, Félix Forest, Lúcia G. Lohmann, International Journal of Plant Sciences, 172:7, 2011

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 occidentalis referenced publications

TitleAuthorsTypeJournalYearVolumeIssuePagesPublisher
Rhipsalis occidentalis, Calvente 381 - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2025). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Herbarium Specimens. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ly60bx accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-02-13. https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/912449652Virtual Herbarium Website2025
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)
Neotypification of Rhipsalis rhombea (Rhipsalideae, Cactaceae) and Its Taxonomic HistoryRalf Bauer, Nadja KorotkovaJournal ArticleHaseltonia20202795-101Cactus and Succulent Society of America
Rhipsalis, cactussen uit het tropische woud 1Aat van UijenJournal ArticleSucculenta2017966270-275
A New Location for Rhipsalis micrantha (Knuth) A.P. de Candolle in PeruJorge RomeroJournal ArticleThe Cactus Explorer20161537-40
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
Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)Nadja KorotkovaPh.D. Thesis2012Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
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
Rhipsalis cuneata Britton & Rose, eine variable Art mit flachen Trieben von den Ostabhängen der Anden Boliviens, Perus and Ecuadors - mit Beschreibung der neuen Unterart R. cuneata ssp. australis Ralf Bauer ssp. nov.Ralf BauerJournal ArticleEPIG2008625-28
A Unique Cactus with Scented and Possibly Bat-Dispersed Fruits: Rhipsalis juengeriBoris Schlumpberger, Robin A. Clery, Wilhelm BarthlottJournal ArticlePlant Biology200682265-70
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
Die Namen der Gattungen und Arten epiphytischer Kakteen. Teil 1. RhipsalideaeRalf BauerJournal ArticleEPIG19968247-51
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
Rhipsalis rauhiorum Barthlott – ein schöner Epiphyt aus SüdamerikaRalf BauerJournal ArticleKakteen und andere Sukkulenten19891012308-309
New names in Rhipsalidinae (Cactaceae)Wilhelm BarthlottJournal ArticleBradleya1987597-100
Rhipsalis occidentalis Barthlott et Rauh. Eine neue Art mit blattartig abgeflachten Sprossen aus Ecuador und PeruWilhelm Barthlott, Werner RauhJournal ArticleKakteen und andere Sukkulenten198738116-19

Reduced Synonyms

NameReduced byPublished DatePublished In
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