Cereus Mill., Gard. Dict. Abr. ed. 4: [s.p.] 1. 1754.

Shrubby or tree -like, up to 15 m tall. Stem succulent, usually angled or distinctly ribbed, ribs 3-14 cm long, bearing large areoles having spines. Cephalium absent. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, epigynous, large, lateral, funnelform, 9-30 cm long, usually white, sometimes pink, purple, rarely cream, yellow, greenish, night-blooming. Fruits globose, ovoid to oblong, 3- 13 cm long, fleshy, naked, usually red, sometimes yellow, pulp white, pink or red. Seeds large, curved, ovoid, glossy, black.

25 species

Cereus pterogonus Lem., Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov.: 59. 1839; keralaplants.in

Shrubs. Stems erect, succulent, columnar, jointed, 2-3 m tall, 3-7-ribbed. Young plants or branches 7- ribbed with ribs small and +/- rounded, ribs progressively reduced in number to 3, compressed, straight or undulate, 2-5 cm high, bearing areoles at apex; areoles 1.5-3.5 cm apart, echinate, lanate with spines, spines stout, subulate, up to 15(-20), unequal, up to 1 cm long, glochids absent. Leaves absent. Hypanthium tubular, green, with scattered areoles. Flowers white, lateral, bisexual, funnelform, actinomorphic, epigynous, white, sessile, large, up to 18 cm long, night-blooming. Perianth tube large, up to 10 cm long, terete, with a few scales below. Perianth segments (tepals) many; outer ones greenish white; inner ones white, oblong, lanceolate, up to 7 cm x 1.5 cm. Stamens numerous, inserted at various levels of perianth; filaments slender, of unequal length; anthers oblong, up to 2.5 mm. Ovary inferior, subterete-angular, 2.5-3 cm x 1 cm, unilocular, ovules numerous, on several parietal placentas, ovules circinotropous; style up to 10 cm long; stigmatic lobes 10-15, ca. 1 cm long, creamish-white, papillose.

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