Epiphyllum

Epiphyllum, ; from Ancient Greek ἐπι- (epi-), meaning "upon", and φύλλον (phúllon), meaning "leaf", is a genus of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America and South America. Common names for these species include climbing cacti, orchid cacti and leaf cacti, though the latter also refers to the genus Pereskia.

Description

The stems are broad and flat, 1–5 cm broad, 3–5 mm thick, usually with lobed edges. The flowers themselves are large, with diameters ranging from 8 to 16 cm, white through red, with numerous petals. These flowers have notably short, nocturnal antheses, blooming only at night, and wilting at dawn. The fruit is edible, very similar to the pitaya fruit from the closely related genus Hylocereus, though not so large, being only 3–4 cm long.

The broad-leaved epiphyllum (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) is particularly well known species that bears large, strongly fragrant flowers.