| Rhipsalis baccifera | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Genus: | Rhipsalis |
| Species: | R. baccifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhipsalis baccifera (J.S. Mueller) Stearn |
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Rhipsalis baccifera, commonly known as the Mistletoe Cactus, is an epiphytic cactus which originates from Central and South America, the Caribbean and Florida. It is also spread throughout the tropics of Africa and Asia. This is the only cactus species naturally occurring outside the New World, although it is believed that R. baccifera was introduced relatively recently to the Old World by migratory birds.
The species shows considerable polymorphism and can be divided into numerous subspecies. Mesoamerican specimens are usually tetraploid and South American specimens are diploid. The naming of the species is confusing and a very large number of obsolete names (synonyms) exist. These include:
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The genus Cassytha belongs to the family Lauraceae rather than Cactaceae, and the classification of some Rhipsalis species to the genus was an error based on the not dissimilar habitus. The genera currently assigned to the tribe Rhipsalideae (which include Hatiora, Lepismium and Schlumbergera in addition to Rhipsalis) were subject to considerable confusion and disagreement prior to the clarification by Wilhelm Barthlott and Nigel Taylor in 1995.[1]