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Images | Description | Publications | Reduced Synonyms

Bonn 12957, Villa Tunari, Cochambamba, Bolivia, 1450m, Ibisch & Ibisch – material sampled, Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae), Nadja Korotkova, Ph.D. Thesis, 2012 and Molecular Phylogeny, Evolution, and Biogeography of South American Epiphytic Cacti, Alice Calvente, Daniela C. Zappi, Félix Forest, Lúcia G. Lohmann, International Journal of Plant Sciences, 172:7, 2011

Unknown clone

Botanical illustrations and historical images

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Description

The accepted name Rhipsalis cuneata subsp. cuneata Britton & Rose was published in Cactaceae 4: 246. 1923. The geographic range is Bolivia (Yungas) found at elevations of 700-1500 meters with an endangered status of least concern. Rhipsalis cuneata subsp. cuneata is classified in the subgenus Phyllarthrorhipsalis. Observed growing as an epiphyte. Overall habit is pendant, branches are dimorphic (more than one stem shape) and acrotonic or mesotonic (stems form from the tips to middle of previous stems). Stems are 2 to 3 angled, margins have low to deep crenations, at times undulating or frilled (slightly to deeply scalloped), bristles are absent. Basal stems are indeterminate (seasonal growth is various lengths), 25cm x unreported. Main stems are determinate (seasonal growth is about the same length), 5.5cm-17cm x 1cm-6cm. Flowers are rotate: reflexed (wheel shaped: reflexed), unreported x 0.8cm. Petals from 5 to 7, sepals from 1 to 3. Inner petals are translucent-white, outer petals are white, cream, green or pink. Stamen are white, from 25 to 60. Stigma lobes from 3 to 5. Flower ovary is globose, obovoid or cylindrical, 0.2cm-0.4cm x 0.2cm. Flowering position on the stem is lateral and the flower orientation in relation to the stem is perpendicular. Does 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 green. Ripe fruit is globose; white, 0.5cm-0.9cm x 0.4cm-0.8cm. Other notable features: Stems are consistently wedge shaped at the base. R. cuneata is closely related to1,2 and can be difficult to distinguish from some specimen of R. barthlottii, R. crispata, R. occidentalis, and R. oblonga. The truest identifiable characteristics are the white fruit color and shape, inner stamen being shorter than outer stamen, consistent wedge shape at the base of the stems, and smaller translucent predominantly white flowers. It is very closely related to R. occidentalis1,2 and is possibly a synonym3 of it. thinner stemmed specimen can present with undulating or frilly stem margins, but that is not a good identifying characteristic for this species as R. barthlottii, R. crispata, R. oblonga, R. occidentalis, R. goebeliana, and R. rhombea at least can also present the same characteristic. Comments: P.L. Ibisch, M. Kessler, C. Nowicki and W. Barthlott, indicated specimen found growing at higher elevations in Bolivia were R. goebeliana4, they have since however been treated as a R. cuneata subsp. cuneata by Ralf Bauer3. R. goebeliana specimen growing at lower elevations were also treated as R. cuneata subsp. australis3. R. goebeliana has not been found in the wild, any attribution of R. goebeliana found in Bolivia should be treated as R. cuneata subsp. cuneata or R. cuneata subsp. australis3. R. cuneata subsp. cuneata (Photo 8: R. cuneata subsp. cuneata) and R. cuneata subsp. australis (Photo 10: R. goebeliana) can be seen pictured on page 29 of Bradley 18. EPIG 62 contains several more photographs of R. cuneata subsp. cuneata (images from Ecuador and Peru should be regarded as R. occidentalis), R. cuneata subsp. australis, and R. goebeliana (only known from cultivated material). R. occidentalis (Ecuador and Peru) was synonymized with R. cuneata subsp. cuneata (Bolivia) by Bauer3, however later molecular phylogenetic studies kept the species separate1,2, no reason was provided for the separate treatment. Pictures of R. occidentalis from (Ecuador and Peru) can found in Rhipsalis occidentalis Barthlott et Rauh. Eine neue Art mit blattartig abgeflachten Sprossen aus Ecuador und Peru, Wilhelm Barthlott, Werner Rauh, Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten 38:1 16-19, 1987. 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 3Rhipsalis cuneata Britton & Rose, eine variable Art mit flachen Trieben von den Ostabhängen der Anden Boliviens, Perus and Ecuadors - mit Beschreibung der neuen Unterart R. cuneata subsp. australis Ralf Bauer subsp. nov., Ralf Bauer, EPIG, 62:5-28, 2008 4Ecology, biogeography and diversity of the Bolivian epiphytic cacti — with the description of two new taxa, P.L. Ibisch, M. Kessler, C. Nowicki & W. Barthlott, Bradleya, 18:2-30, 2000 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

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Rhipsalis cuneata subsp. cuneata referenced publications

Title	Authors	Type	Journal	Year	Volume	Issue	Pages	Publisher
Rhipsalis cuneata subsp. cuneata, Kessler 7754 - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2025). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Herbarium Specimens. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ly60bx accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-02-13. https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/912225464		Virtual Herbarium Website		2025
Epifytische cactussen, rhipsalis.eu. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025	Aat van Uijen	Website		2025
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew | Plants of the World Online. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025		Website		2025
The Caryophyllales Network 2015+ [continuously updated]: A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025		Website		2025
WFO The World Flora Online. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025		Website		2025
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-2. accessed on 2025-01-07		Website		2024
Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org – a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family	Nadja 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. Berendsohn	Journal Article	Willdenowia	2021	51	2	251 – 270	Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin (BGBM)
Neotypification of Rhipsalis rhombea (Rhipsalideae, Cactaceae) and Its Taxonomic History	Ralf Bauer, Nadja Korotkova	Journal Article	Haseltonia	2020	27		95-101	Cactus and Succulent Society of America
Rhipsalis, cactussen uit het tropische woud 1	Aat van Uijen	Journal Article	Succulenta	2017	96	6	270-275
A New Location for Rhipsalis micrantha (Knuth) A.P. de Candolle in Peru	Jorge Romero	Journal Article	The Cactus Explorer	2016	15		37-40
Rhipsalis (Cactaceae): loss and gain of floral rewards is mirrored in range sizes and distribution patterns of species	Bernadette Grosse-Veldmann, Stefan Abrahamczyk, Jens Mutke, Wilhelm Barthlott, Maximilian Weigend	Journal Article	Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society	2016	180		491-503
A New Subgeneric Classification of Rhipsalis (Cactoideae, Cactaceae)	Alice Calvente	Journal Article	Systematic Botany	2012	37	4	983 – 988	The American Society of Plant Taxonomists
Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)	Nadja Korotkova	Ph.D. Thesis		2012				Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
Molecular Phylogeny, Evolution, and Biogeography of South American Epiphytic Cacti	Alice Calvente, Daniela C. Zappi, Félix Forest, Lúcia G. Lohmann	Journal Article	International Journal of Plant Sciences	2011	172	7	902-914
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 Barthlott	Journal Article	American Journal of Botany	2011	98		1549-1572
Molecular phylogeny, evolution and systematics of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae)	Alice Calvente	Ph.D. Thesis		2010				Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo
Rhipsalis cuneata Britton & Rose, eine variable Art mit flachen Trieben von den Ostabhängen der Anden Boliviens, Perus and Ecuadors - mit Beschreibung der neuen Unterart R. cuneata ssp. australis Ralf Bauer ssp. nov.	Ralf Bauer	Journal Article	EPIG	2008	62		5-28
A Unique Cactus with Scented and Possibly Bat-Dispersed Fruits: Rhipsalis juengeri	Boris Schlumpberger, Robin A. Clery, Wilhelm Barthlott	Journal Article	Plant Biology	2006	8	2	265-70
The New Cactus Lexicon: Atlas of illustrations	David Hunt, Nigel P. Taylor, Graham Charles	Book		2006			104-120	DH Books
The New Cactus Lexicon: Text	David Hunt, Nigel P. Taylor, Graham Charles	Book		2006			138-139,142-143,253-257	DH Books
Ecology, biogeography and diversity of the Bolivian epiphytic cacti — with the description of two new taxa	Pierre Ibisch, Michael Kessler, Christoph Nowicki, Wilhelm Barthlott	Journal Article	Bradleya	2000	18		2-30, 120, 247-249	British Cactus and Succulent Society
Boliviens epiphytische Kakteen und ihre ökologische und geographische Verbreitung. Teil 2	Pierre Ibisch	Journal Article	EPIG	1998	10	1	3-12
Die Namen der Gattungen und Arten epiphytischer Kakteen. Teil 1. Rhipsalideae	Ralf Bauer	Journal Article	EPIG	1996	8	2	47-51
Notes towards a Monograph of Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)	Wilhelm Barthlott, Nigel P. Taylor	Journal Article	Bradleya	1995	13		43-79	British Cactus and Succulent Society
Cactus Lexicon	Curt Backeberg, Walther Haage	Book		1966			205,220-222,440-449, 647, 750	Blandford Press Ltd. (1966-1973)
The Cactaceae : descriptions and illustrations of plants of the cactus family	Nathaniel Lord Britton, Mary E. Eaton, N. J. Rose, Helen Adelaide Wood	Book		1923	4		208-247	Carnegie Institution of Washington

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Reduced Synonyms

Name	Reduced by	Published Date	Published In