Photo: R. floccosa ssp. pulvinigerum, copyright 6/06
Ken Friedman, Kew Botanic Garden
Photo: from a plant labeled R. pulvinigerum
in the botanic garden in Brussels. copyright Ken Friedman
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Desc from B&R 1923
- Plant - epiphytic, rather stout, at first erect but in time
hanging, and then sometimes 3 to 5
meters long,
- Branches - dull green with purple about the areoles 5 to 7
mm. in diameter;
- Terminal branches - often in whorls of 3 to 5;
- Flowers - at first white, in age yellowish, 2 cm. broad;
- Ovary - sunken in the branch;
- Fruit - globose, red, 8 mm. in diameter.
Type locality: Brazil.
DISTRIBUTION. Southeastern and Southern Brazil (S Minas Gerais,
S Espirito Santo?, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina,
Rio Grande do Sul): Atlantic and seasonal forest, to c. 1800 m
altitude.
Detail from Bradleya 13 (1995)
This subspecies is characterized by reddish tinged stems (when
in strong light),flowers c. 18 mm diam. or larger, and usually
deep pink (more rarely whitish) fruits. The synonymous R.
gibberula F.A.C. Weber, a white-fruited variant, seems to
belong here, rather than in subsp. floccosa (as indicated
by specimens labelled R. gibberula received at Kew and
New York from Paris in 1902, K!, NY!). It may represent a shade
form.
Distribution Organ Mountains, Brazil.
4. RHIPSALIS PULVINIGERA A. G. LINDB. in Martius, Fl. Bras. 4(2): 272.
1890.
ramulis crassiusculis subcylindricis vel rotundato-angulatis apice obtusis
ad 3-5 fasciculatis articulatis; squamis regulariter spiralibus
semiorbicularibus brevissime acuminatis margine planis fimbriolatis
pro rata majusculis diutius persistentibus, ramulis sub squamis pulvillum
referentibus, axilla villo parco et setis minutissimis manita; floribus
solitariis pro rata majuscules e cavitate axillae erumpentibus membranula
minutissima rupta suffultis; ovario breviter cylindrico probabiliter
uniloculari placentis 4, immerso pube parca cincto glabro ; perigonii
phyllis inaequalibus c. 12 exterioribus brevibus triangularibus
obtusis, mediis oblongis obtusis, intimis oblongo lanceolatis acutis;
staminibus dimidio phyllis perigonii brevioribus antheris parvis;
stilo stamina manifeste superante ad c. 1/5 in stigmata 4 recurvata
diviso.
Rhipsalis pulvinigera Lindb. in Gartenflora 1889. p. 186. fig. 34 cum
analysi
CAULIS primum erectus dein curvatus et pendulus c. 50-60 cm. longus;
ARTICULI et rami obscure virides laeves nitiduli 3-4 mm. dia metro
verticillatim fasciculati rarius solitarii divaricati. AREOLAE regulariter
dispositae manifesto impressae. SQUAMAE 1 mm. latae, 0.7-0.8 mm.
longae, potius fimbriolatae quam dentatae rubescentes intus roseae.
FLORES sessiles 2.2 cm. diametro explanati, PHYLLA INFIMA vix 3 mm.
longa flava, summa ultra 1 cm. longa, 4-6 mm. lata, alba subflavescentia.
STAMINA recta 0.8-1 cm. longa. BACCA purpurea.
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