Rhipsalideae

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Rhipsalideae

Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa (K.Schum.) Barthlott

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Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa

Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa
Photo: David Schellenberger Costa
Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa
Photo: David Schellenberger Costa
Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa
Photo: David Schellenberger Costa
Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa
Photo: David Schellenberger Costa

No. 23306, Taita Hills, Kenya, Africa

Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa, No. 23306, Taita Hills, Kenya, Africa, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa, No. 23306, Taita Hills, Kenya, Africa, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa, No. 23306, Taita Hills, Kenya, Africa, © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de
Photo: © W. Barthlott, Lotus-Salvinia.de

Description

The accepted name Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa (K.Schum.) Barthlott was published in Bradleya 5: 100. 1987.

The geographic range is Mountains of East Africa found at elevations of 0-1700 meters with an endangered status of least concern.

Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa is classified in the subgenus Rhipsalis.

Observed growing as an epiphyte or lithophyte. Overall habit is pendant, branches are dimorphic (more than one stem shape) and acrotonic (stems form from the tips of previous stems).

Stems are round, bristles are absent. Basal stems are indeterminate (seasonal growth is various lengths), 25cm-55cm x 0.3cm-0.5cm. Main stems are determinate (seasonal growth is about the same length), 4cm-15cm x 0.2cm-0.45cm.

Flowers are rotate: sub-patent, patent or reflexed (wheel shaped: partial to wide open to reflexed), 0.45cm-0.8cm x 0.4cm-0.7cm. Petals from 4 to 8, sepals from 1 to 2. Inner petals are white, light-yellow, light-yellow-green or light-green, outer petals are white, cream, green, pink, brown or red. Stamen are white, from 20 to 25. Stigma lobes from 2 to 4. Flower ovary is globose or ovoid, 0.25cm-0.4cm x 0.25cm.

Flowering position on the stem is lateral to subapical and the flower orientation in relation to the stem is perpendicular. Does not repeat flowering per areole. A maximum of 2 flowers were reported at a single areole. Areole position in the stems is superficial (flower ovary is visible on the surface of the stems during bud development). Trichomes or wool is absent at the areoles after flowering.

Unripe fruit is brown or red. Ripe fruit is globose or ovoid; white or pink, 0.75cm x 0.5cm-0.6cm.

Other notable features:
Closely related to1,2 and commonly confused with forms of R. teres, all R. baccifera subspecies can be distinguished by having a flower ovary that is typically longer than the petal parts of the flower during most of the bud of development, flowers are a pale yellow to white as they die, and remain attached to the flower ovary. R. baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa is identifiable by it's unripe reddish fruit that ripens from various shades of pink to pink or white.

1Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae), Nadja Korotkova, Ph.D. Thesis, 2012
2Molecular phylogeny, evolution and systematics of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae), Alice Calvente, Ph.D. Thesis, 2010

Comments:
Subspecies are often recognized at the extreme morphological characterization found in nature, however this species presents a high level of plasticity and varying intermediate morphologies are reported between the various subspecies.

Taxonomic treatment and description were derived from:
  • The referenced publications below
    • published material was examined and consolidated
      • to determine minimum and maximum size ranges
      • to determine color variations and shapes
  • In rare cases
    • if minimum and maximum values were unreported, authors examined their own materials
    • if clearly observed colors were unreported, authors expanded the botanical descriptions

Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. erythrocarpa referenced publications

TitleAuthorsTypeJournalYearVolumeIssuePagesPublisher
Epifytische cactussen, rhipsalis.eu. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Aat van UijenWebsite2025
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew | Plants of the World Online. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Website2025
The Caryophyllales Network 2015+ [continuously updated]: A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Website2025
WFO The World Flora Online. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025Website2025
Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org – a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the familyNadja Korotkova, David Aquino, Salvador Arias, Urs Eggli, Alan Franck, Carlos Gómez-Hinostrosa, Pablo C. Guerrero, Héctor M. Hernández, Andreas Kohlbecker, Matias Köhler, Katja Luther, Lucas C. Majure, Andreas Müller, Detlev Metzing, Reto Nyffeler, Daniel Sánchez, Boris Schlumpberger, Walter G. BerendsohnJournal ArticleWilldenowia2021512251 – 270Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin (BGBM)
Rhipsalis, cactussen uit het tropische woud 2Aat van UijenJournal ArticleSucculenta201897139-44
Rhipsalis (Cactaceae): loss and gain of floral rewards is mirrored in range sizes and distribution patterns of speciesBernadette Grosse-Veldmann, Stefan Abrahamczyk, Jens Mutke, Wilhelm Barthlott, Maximilian WeigendJournal ArticleBotanical Journal of the Linnean Society2016180491-503
Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)Nadja KorotkovaPh.D. Thesis2012Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
CactaceaeSalvador Arias, Susana Gama-López, L. Ulises Guzmán-Cruz, Balbina Vázquez-BenítezJournal ArticleFlora del Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlá201295167-169Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
What does it take to resolve relationship and to identify species with molecular markers? An example from the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)Nadja Korotkova, Borsch T, Dietmar Quandt, Nigel P. Taylor, Müller K, Wilhelm BarthlottJournal ArticleAmerican Journal of Botany2011981549-1572
Morfología de semillas, poliploidia y la historia evolutiva de el cactus epifito Rhipsalis baccifera (Cactaceae)J. Hugo Cota-Sánchez, Márcia C. Bomfim-PatrícioJournal ArticlePolibotánica2010107-129
The New Cactus Lexicon: Atlas of illustrationsDavid Hunt, Nigel P. Taylor, Graham CharlesBook2006104-120DH Books
The New Cactus Lexicon: TextDavid Hunt, Nigel P. Taylor, Graham CharlesBook2006138-139,142-143,253-257DH Books
Die Namen der Gattungen und Arten epiphytischer Kakteen. Teil 1. RhipsalideaeRalf BauerJournal ArticleEPIG19968247-51
Notes towards a Monograph of Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)Wilhelm Barthlott, Nigel P. TaylorJournal ArticleBradleya19951343-79British Cactus and Succulent Society
New names in Rhipsalidinae (Cactaceae)Wilhelm BarthlottJournal ArticleBradleya1987597-100
Are the species discovered in Africa indigenous?R. Roland-GosselinJournal ArticleTorreya1913137151-156

Reduced Synonyms

NameReduced byPublished DatePublished In
Rhipsalis erythrocarpa K.Schum.Barthlott & Taylor (1995)1895Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas C: 282. 1895
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