See Calvente thesis 2010
7. RHIPSALIS MICRANTHA (Kunth) DC., Prodr. 3:476. 1828.
Cactus micranthus Kunth in Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 4: 65. 1823. -TYPE:
PERU. Olleros: "Crescit in arboribus", 1330m, Humboldt & Bonpland s.n. (holotype: P!; isotype: P!).
Rhipsalis werkleii Berger, Monatsschr. Kakteenk 16: 64. 1906.- TYPE: The Alwin Berger Succulent Herbarium, Alwin Berger s.n. (lectotype, here designated : NY386146!)
Rhipsalis roseana Berger, Z. Sukkulentenk. 2: 22. 1923.-TYPE: The Alwin Berger Succulent Herbarium, Alwin Berger s.n. (lectotype, here designated: NY386145!).

Notes. Rhipsalis micrantha is very diverse morphologically. Its morphological diversity is linked with geography, altitude ranges and with the spatial distribution of its populations, perhaps as a result from the Andean discontinuous mosaic of environmental conditions and isolated microhabitats. The four geographically isolated and morphological distinct populations of R.
micrantha are here recognized as four subspecies: R. micrantha subsp. micrantha, R. micrantha subsp. rauhiorum, R. micrantha subsp. tonduzii, and R. micrantha subsp. monticola. The fact that no molecular variation was found among subspecies (Calvente et al. in prep.), suggests a rapid diversification. Apart from differences in geographical distribution, variation in stem morphology is also important to diagnose subspecies. Despite that, all subspecies of R. micrantha are difficult to be separated in the herbarium because the diagnostic features are often lost during the herborization process.

7.1. RHIPSALIS MICRANTHA subsp. MICRANTHA
Lithophyte or epiphyte in open habitat, 0.6 m long, branching apical or rare sub-apical. Stem segments flattened to triangular in longitudinal section, 2-3 mm diam, olive green, sometimes with reddish margin, succulent, dimorphic, midrib 3-4 mm diam, cylindric; primary stem segments 20-25 cm long; wings 3-4, 0.4-0.5 cm wide; secondary stem segments (6.5-)-8-12(-15) cm long, base attenuate, apex truncate; wings 2-3, 0.4-0.5(-0.7) cm wide, margin slightly
serrate, plane, with 1-2 mm projections. Areoles between margin projections, 0.9-4.5 cm apart, first of segment 1(-2) cm distant from segment base; when sterile 1.5-2 mm diam, with vestigial hairs; when fertile 2 mm diam, with 1-2 acicular scales and scarce hairs at margin, 1 (-3) flowers/fruits. Flowers ca. 10.5 mm diam; pericarpel ca. 4 X 3 mm, cylindric, greenish, glabrous; with 1-2 sepaloid tepals, 0.5-1 mm long and 7 petaloid tepals, (2-)5-6 X 2-3 mm, oblong to elliptic, patent or sub-erect, whitish, apex rounded, slightly cucullate, margin straight. Style 4.5 mm long; stigma with 5 lobes, 1.5 mm long, ligulate, curved, sub-reflexed. Ovules in 5 rows, funicle short (< 0.5 mm long). Stamens ca. 35, 2-4.5 mm long, internal shorter, spreading, whitish. Nectary ca. 0.5 mm long. Fruit 5.5-6.5 X 5-5.5 mm, obovate, elongate, white, glabrous. Figure 7: D,1.

Notes; R. micrantha subsp. micrantha is characterised by the succulent, mostly 2-winged stem segments, as well as narrow wings and margins with narrower projections than R. micrantha subsp. rauhiorum.

Habitat and distribution: Occurs in the highland Andean forests of Ecuador and Peru, from 1000-1800 m. Figures 8, 9.

Rhipsalis micrantha (HBK) DC. Emend Barthlott in Trop. Subtrop. Pflanzenw. 10:7 (1974) forma micrantha Barthlott and Taylor in Bradleya 13 (1995)
Desc from Trop. Subtrop. Pflanzenw. 10:7 (1974)
Plant - epiphytic, rarely half-erector mostly pendent 1.5 m long, succulent linear branches growing from the tips, 2 - 3 angled, 7 - 18 cm long and 0.7 - 1.3 cm wide.
Areoles - very small without bristles, with barely visible tomentum. New shoots with very small deciduous leaf and often with 1 mm long extranuptial nectar hairs.
Branch covering - dirty green with long areas of 70? wide and 100? - 500? vesicles with polished surface area, stomata not sunken..
Flowers - simple, lateral, on the edges of the branches, whitish hence shiny, radial, 6 -10 mm ?, more than half opening.
Perianth-segments - 5 - 7, the inside ones to 4.8 mm long and 4 mm wide, egg-shaped or long-egg-shaped
Style - erect, 4 - 5 mm long with 3 - 4 spreading papillose lobes, a white disk at the base of the style.
Stamens - 25 - 35 , 2 - 3 mm long, anthers white, small.
Pericarp - light-green, not sunken in the stem, bare, exceptfor a single scale
Fruit - a globose naked berry, 8 mm long, 6 mm wide white, most times reddish towards the top.

DISTRIBUTION - Costa Rica, Colombia, western Venezuela, Ecuador, northern Peru; near sea level to 2000m altitude De Candolle in Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 3 : 475-476. 1828
(page 476).

7. R? MICRANTHA (H.B. et Kunth nov. gen. am. 6. p. 65. sub Cacto.) pendula glabra
ramosa, ramis 3-4-angularibus vel compresso-anticipitibus, floribus ex angulis ortis. ? in
arboribus propè Olleros Quitensium. Flores albi minuti. †.

Translation into English
Plant pendulous, glabrous branches, branches 3 – 4 angled or flattened in the front, flowering from the angles. growing on trees near olleros, Quito, Peru. flowers small white. Specimen deceased

Treated as R. micrantha fa. micrantha by B&T in Bradleya 13