Cereus
Cereus
75
species Cactaceae
Morphological Summary
Genus of columnar cacti in the family Cactaceae native to northern South America, the Caribbean, and Argentina/Brazil. It is one of the founding genera of the Cactaceae family, with robust, ribbed columns up to 15 m tall. Its large, white, nocturnal flowers are highly fragrant. The name Cereus (wax candle) refers to the erect columnar habit. Widely cultivated as an ornamental hedge throughout the tropical and Mediterranean world.
Distribution Northern South America, Caribbean, Argentina, Brazil
Conservation Not threatened
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eco
Black SpinesFrost Tolerant
Cereus aethiops
Black-spined Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00048
Origin South America (Argentina — Mendoza, San Juan, Neuquén, Río Negro)
Type species
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Crested FormBlack Spines
Cereus aethiops f. cristata
Crested Black-spined Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00044
Origin South America (Argentina — Mendoza, San Juan, cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Species
Cereus alacriportanus
Porto Alegre Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00049
Origin South America (southern Brazil, Uruguay)
Type species
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Blue ColorSpecies
Cereus azureus
Azure Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00050
Origin South America (Brazil — Minas Gerais, Bahia)
Type species
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LCEndemic Brazil
Cereus azureus J.Parm. ex Pfeiff.
Blue cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00004
Origin Brasil (Minas Gerais, Bahia, Goiás)
Type Columnar cactus
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SpeciesBolivia
Cereus bicolor
Bicolor Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00051
Origin South America (Bolivia)
Type species
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DDEndemic Brazil
Cereus bicolor Rizzini & A.Mattos
Bicolor cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00005
Origin Brasil (Minas Gerais, Bahia)
Type Columnar cactus
eco
VU BoliviaEndemic Bolivia
Cereus braunii Cárdenas
Braun's cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00006
Origin Bolivia (Santa Cruz, Cochabamba)
Type Columnar cactus
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LCCalcicoleEndemic Brazil
Cereus calcirupicola (F.Ritter) Rizzini
Limestone cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00007
Origin Brasil (Minas Gerais, Bahia)
Type Columnar cactus
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Rare SpeciesBolivia
Cereus comarapanus
Comarapa Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00052
Origin South America (Bolivia — Santa Cruz, Comarapa region)
Type species
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Species
Cereus dayamii
Dayam's Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00053
Origin South America (Bolivia, Argentina — Jujuy, Salta)
Type species
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LCEndemic Brazil
Cereus euchlorus F.A.C.Weber ex K.Schum.
Green-stemmed cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00008
Origin Brasil (Bahia, Pernambuco, Sergipe)
Type Columnar cactus
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CoastalBrazil
Cereus fernambucensis
Pernambuco Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00054
Origin South America (Brazil — Pernambuco, coastal restinga)
Type species
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ArborescentLarge Flowers
Cereus forbesii
Forbes' Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00055
Origin South America (Bolivia, Argentina — Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán)
Type species
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Crested FormCollector
Cereus forbesii f. cristata
Crested Forbes' Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00045
Origin South America (Bolivia, Argentina, cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Monstrous FormTrade Name
Cereus forbesii 'Ming Thing'
Ming Thing Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00072
Origin South America (cultivated selection, trade name)
Type monstrous cultivar
eco
LC
Cereus forbesii Otto
Forbes' cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00009
Origin Argentina (Catamarca, Tucumán, Córdoba, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero)
Type Columnar cactus
eco
LC
Cereus hankeanus F.A.C.Weber ex K.Schum.
Hanke's cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00010
Origin Argentina (Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, La Rioja, Tucumán), Paraguay
Type Columnar cactus
eco
Crested FormCollector
Cereus hexagonus f. cristata
Crested Six-angled Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00031
Origin South America (Venezuela, Colombia, cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Cereus hexagonus (L.) Mill.
Six-angled cactus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00001
Origin Venezuela, Guayanas, Trinidad, norte de Brasil, Colombia
Type Cactus
eco
VariegatedRare
Cereus hexagonus 'Variegatus'
Variegated Six-angled Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00030
Origin South America (Venezuela, Colombia, cultivated mutation)
Type variegated cultivar
eco
Crested FormCollector
Cereus hildmannianus f. cristata
Crested Hildmann's Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00033
Origin South America (Brazil, Uruguay, cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Monstrous Form
Cereus hildmannianus f. monstruosa
Monstrous Hildmann's Cereus form
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00035
Origin South America (Brazil, cultivated mutation)
Type monstrous form
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VariegatedRare
Cereus hildmannianus f. variegata
Variegated Hildmann's Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00036
Origin South America (cultivated mutation)
Type variegated form
eco
Cereus hildmannianus K.Schum.
Queen of the night cactus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00002
Origin Brasil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay
Type Cactus
eco
Monstrous FormPopular Indoors
Cereus hildmannianus 'Monstrosus'
Monstrous Hildmann's Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00032
Origin South America (Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina)
Type monstrous cultivar
eco
Botanical VarietyFruiting
Cereus hildmannianus var. uruguayanus
Uruguayan Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00034
Origin South America (Uruguay, southern Brazil, Argentina)
Type variety
eco
HybridIndoorsMonstrous Form
Cereus hildmannianus x monstrosus (hybrid)
Indoor Monstrous Cereus Hybrid
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00073
Origin cultivated hybrid (nursery origin)
Type cultivated hybrid
eco
Caatinga IconicCultural Symbol
Cereus jamacaru
Mandacaru / Queen of the Night Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00077
Origin South America (Brazil — Caatinga: Bahia, Pernambuco, Ceará, Piauí, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte)
Type species
eco
Cereus jamacaru DC.
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00013
Origin
Type
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Crested FormCollector
Cereus jamacaru f. cristata
Crested Mandacaru
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00038
Origin South America (Brazil — Caatinga, cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Monstrous Form
Cereus jamacaru f. monstruosa
Monstrous Mandacaru form
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00039
Origin South America (Brazil, cultivated mutation)
Type monstrous form
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Monstrous FormBrazil Endemic
Cereus jamacaru 'Monstrosus'
Monstrous Mandacaru
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00037
Origin South America (Brazil — Caatinga)
Type monstrous cultivar
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CultivarSpiral Form
Cereus jamacaru 'Spiralis'
Spiral Mandacaru
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00040
Origin South America (Brazil, cultivated selection)
Type cultivar
eco
SpeciesRare
Cereus kroenleinii
Kroenlein's Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00056
Origin South America (Paraguay, Argentina)
Type species
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Cereus lamprospermus K.Schum.
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00014
Origin
Type
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WoollySpecies
Cereus lanosus
Woolly Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00057
Origin South America (Peru, Bolivia)
Type species
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SpeciesHedges
Cereus mirabella
Mirabella Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00058
Origin South America (Argentina — Entre Ríos, Corrientes; Uruguay; southern Brazil)
Type species
eco
Cereus mirabella N.P.Taylor
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00015
Origin
Type
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Rare SpeciesBolivia
Cereus mortensenii
Mortensen's Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00059
Origin South America (Bolivia — Santa Cruz)
Type species
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Cereus neonesioticus (F.Ritter) P.J.Braun
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00016
Origin
Type
eco
Crested FormTrade Name
Cereus peruvianus f. cristata
Crested Peruvian Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00042
Origin South America (cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Monstrous FormTrade Name
Cereus peruvianus f. monstruosa
Monstrous Peruvian Cereus form
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00041
Origin South America (cultivated; note: C. peruvianus is often synonymized with C. repandus)
Type monstrous form
eco
Species
Cereus phatnospermus
Grooved-seed Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00060
Origin South America (Bolivia, Argentina)
Type species
eco
Cereus phatnospermus K.Schum.
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00017
Origin
Type
eco
Silver SpinesBolivia
Cereus platinospinus
Silver-spined Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00061
Origin South America (Bolivia — valleys of Santa Cruz)
Type species
eco
High AltitudeCold Tolerant
Cereus punensis
Puna Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00062
Origin South America (Peru — Puna altiplano, Bolivia)
Type species
eco
Crested FormCollector
Cereus repandus f. cristata
Crested Peruvian Apple Cactus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00024
Origin South America (cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Crested FormVariegatedUltra Rare
Cereus repandus f. cristata variegata
Variegated Crested Peruvian Apple Cactus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00074
Origin South America (cultivated mutation)
Type compound form
eco
CultivarFruiting
Cereus repandus 'Florida'
Florida Peruvian Apple Cactus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00027
Origin South America / cultivated in Florida, USA
Type cultivar
eco
Monstrous FormVery Popular
Cereus repandus f. monstruosa
Monstrous Peruvian Apple Cactus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00023
Origin South America (cultivated origin, base species from Caribbean/South America)
Type monstrous form
eco
Monstrous FormNursery ClassicIndoors
Cereus repandus f. monstruosa 'Curiosity Plant'
Classic Curiosity Plant
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00071
Origin South America (widely cultivated, trade selection)
Type monstrous cultivar
eco
VariegatedCollector
Cereus repandus f. variegata
Peruvian Apple Cactus variegated form
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00029
Origin South America (cultivated mutation)
Type variegated form
eco
Cereus repandus (L.) Mill.
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00018
Origin
Type
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CultivarMonstrous Form
Cereus repandus 'Monstrosus'
Peruvian Apple Cactus 'Monstrosus'
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00025
Origin South America (cultivated)
Type monstrous cultivar
eco
CultivarSpiral Form
Cereus repandus 'Spiralis'
Spiral Peruvian Apple Cactus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00028
Origin South America (cultivated selection)
Type cultivar
eco
VariegatedRare
Cereus repandus 'Variegatus'
Variegated Peruvian Apple Cactus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00026
Origin South America (cultivated mutation)
Type variegated cultivar
eco
Pink FlowersUnusual
Cereus rhodoleucanthus
Pink-flowered Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00063
Origin South America (Bolivia, Argentina)
Type species
eco
Cereus ritteri P.J.Braun & Esteves
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00019
Origin
Type
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BrazilRare Species
Cereus saddianus
Saddi's Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00064
Origin South America (Brazil — São Paulo, Minas Gerais)
Type species
eco
Cereus saddianus (Rizzini & A.Mattos) P.J.Braun
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00020
Origin
Type
eco
RupiculousSpecies
Cereus saxicola
Rock-dwelling Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00065
Origin South America (Argentina — Córdoba, La Rioja; Bolivia)
Type species
eco
Frost TolerantSpecies
Cereus spegazzinii
Spegazzini's Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00066
Origin South America (Argentina — Buenos Aires, La Pampa; Uruguay)
Type species
eco
Cereus spegazzinii F.A.C.Weber
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00021
Origin
Type
eco
Living HedgesSpecies
Cereus stenogonus
Narrow-ribbed Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00067
Origin South America (Brazil — Rio Grande do Sul; Uruguay; Argentina — Misiones, Entre Ríos; Paraguay)
Type species
eco
Crested Form
Cereus stenogonus f. cristata
Crested Cereus stenogonus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00046
Origin South America (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Cereus stenogonus K.Schum.
Narrow-ribbed cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00003
Origin Argentina (norte), Bolivia, Paraguay
Type Cactus
eco
EndemicBolivia
Cereus tacuaralensis
Tacuaral Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00068
Origin South America (Bolivia — Santa Cruz, Tacuaral region)
Type species
eco
3 RibsPacific Coast
Cereus trigonodendron
Three-ribbed Tree Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00069
Origin South America (Peru — coastal desert, Ecuador)
Type species
eco
Living HedgesCold Tolerant
Cereus uruguayanus
Uruguayan Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00075
Origin South America (Uruguay, southern Brazil, northeastern Argentina)
Type species
eco
Crested FormCollector
Cereus uruguayanus f. cristata
Crested Uruguayan Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00047
Origin South America (Uruguay, cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Intense Blue ColorSpecies
Cereus validus
Blue Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00076
Origin South America (Argentina — Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Catamarca; Bolivia)
Type species
eco
Crested FormCollector
Cereus validus f. cristata
Crested Cereus validus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00043
Origin South America (Argentina, Bolivia, cultivated mutation)
Type crested form
eco
Cereus validus Haw.
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00022
Origin
Type
eco
Yellow FruitsSpecies
Cereus xanthocarpus
Yellow-fruited Cereus
Specimen ID RN-CREUS-00070
Origin South America (Bolivia — Santa Cruz; Argentina — Salta, Jujuy)
Type species