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Family: Cactaceae (cacti)
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Core Eudicots
> Order: Caryophyllales
About 111 genera and 1500 species (mainly arid
tropical America but also Old World), with one species
(Rhipsalis baccifera) native to southern Africa, a
further seven genera and 15 species that are naturalised, and a
further 30 genera and 132 species that are cultivated in the region.
Some of the naturalised species are serious plant invaders.
Genera native to southern Africa
Information from Glen (2000).
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Rhipsalis
About 36 species, native mainly to
America but also to Africa, Asia.
Rhipsalis baccifera has a wide distribution that
includes southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern
Cape). Four other species, originating from
South America, are cultivated in the region. |
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Genera naturalised in southern Africa
Information from Glen (2000).
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Cereus
About 40 species, native to the Caribbean and South
America. Cereus jamacaru
(Queen
of the night, Tree cactus; locally
referred to incorrectly as Cereus peruvianus), is
naturalised in southern Africa (in bushveld of Limpopo,
Mpumalanga, Gauteng and North-West). It is a
declared
Category 1 invader plant in South Africa. |
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Cylindropuntia
About 42 species, with three species naturalised in southern
Africa and another three that are cultivated in the region. |
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Echinopsis
About 130 species, native to South America, with one species
naturalised in southern Africa and a further 13 species that are cultivated in
the region. |
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Harrisia
About 20 species, native to the Caribbean and South
America.
Harrisia martinii (Moon cactus) has
become naturalised in KwaZulu-Natal. |
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Hylocereus
About 18 species, native to tropical America,
one of which, Hylocereus undatus
(Night-blooming cereus), has become an
invasive species in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. |
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Opuntia
About 187 species (North and South America),
with seven species naturalised in southern Africa, and a
further 10 species that are cultivated in the region. |
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Pereskia
Twenty species, native to Central and South
America; one species is naturalised in southern Africa
and a further four species are cultivated in the region. |
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Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa
Information from Glen (2002).
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Acanthocalycium klimpelianum
[= Echinopsis klimpeliana]
Native to Argentina. |
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Acanthocereus tetragonus
(Barbed wire cereus)
[= Acanthocereus pentagonus]
Native from the USA through to
Venezuela. |
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Ariocarpus
About five species, native to Mexico
with one species also extending into Texas. Four species
have been recorded as being cultivated in southern
Africa. |
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Astrophytum
Four species, native to the southern
USA and Mexico, all of which have been recorded as being
cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Austrocylindropuntia
About 12 species, native to the Andes
in South America (Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru).
Five species are cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Aztekium ritteri
Native to Mexico. |
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Cephalocereus senilis (Old man
cactus)
Native to Mexico. |
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Cleistocactus
Three species cultivated: Cleistocactus
samaipatanus (native to Bolivia), Cleistocactus
sepium (native to Ecuador), and Cleistocactus
winteri (Golden rat tail) (native to Bolivia). |
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Disocactus
Three species cultivated, all native
to Mexico. |
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Echinocereus
Two cultivated species: Echinocereus
scheerii (native to Mexico) and Echinocereus
viridiflorus (native to central USA). |
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Epiphyllum
Two cultivated species: Epiphyllum
oxypetalum (native to Mexico and Guatemala) and
Epiphyllum thomasianum (native to Costa Rica). |
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Epithelantha micromeris (Button
cactus)
Native to SW USA and Mexico. |
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Eulychnia acida (Copao, Acido)
Native to Chile. |
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Ferocactus histrix (Electrode
cactus)
Native to Mexico. |
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Grusonia
About 17 species, native to the
southwestern USA and northwestern Mexico. Two species
are cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Gymnocalycium
About 72 species, native to South America.
Seventeen species
have been recorded as being cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Hatiora
Two cultivated species: Hatiora
gaertneri and Hatiora rosea (both native to
Brazil). |
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Lepismium houlletianum
Native to Brazil. |
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Leuchtenbergia principis (Agave
cactus)
Native to Mexico. |
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Lophophora williamsii (Mescal,
Peyote)
Native to Texas and
Mexico. |
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Maihueniopsis clavarioides
[= Opuntia clavarioides]
Native to Argentina. |
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Mammillaria
Species total about 197 and are native
from the southwestern USA through to Colombia and
Venezuela as well as the Caribbean, with the highest
species diversity in Mexico. Twenty-four species
have been recorded as being cultivated in southern
Africa. |
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Melocactus
Thirty-six species, native to Mexico,
Central America, northern South America and the West
Indies. Seven species have been recorded as being
cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Nopalea cochenillifera
[= Opuntia cochenillifera]
Native to Mexico. |
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Peniocereus serpentinus
Native to Mexico. |
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Pterocactus
Two species cultivated species: Pterocactus
fischeri (native to SW USA and Mexico) and
Pterocactus tuberosus (native to Argentina). |
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Rebutia
Native to Bolivia and Argentina. Four
species are cultivated in southern Africa |
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Schlumbergera x buckleyi
(Christmas cactus)
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Selenicereus
Two species cultivated: Selenicereus grandiflorus
(Night-flowering cactus, Queen of the night) (native to tropical
America) and Selenicereus macdonaldiae (native
to Honduras, South America) |
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Stenocactus zacatecasensis
Native to Mexico. |
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Tephrocactus articulatus (Paper
spine cactus)
[= Opuntia strobiliformis]
Native to Argentina. |
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Publications
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Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated plants of
southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
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Glen, H.F. 2000. Cactaceae. In: Seed Plants of
Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 197-199.
National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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