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Images | Description | Publications | Reduced Synonyms

The plant photographed below matches well with the description of Rhipsalis gibberula F.A.C.Weber in Rev. Hort. (Paris) 64: 426. 1892, which was reduced as a synonym of Rhipsalis floccosa subsp. pulvinigera by Barthlott in 1995.

Dr. Weber described a flower with 4 ruby red tipped sepals and 8 very open transparent white veined petals with slightly pink tips. The fruit was described as white. We also later see an illustration of Rhipsalis gibberula in The Cactaceae, Vol. 4, 1923.

Rhipsalis floccosa subsp. pulvinigera was originally described by G. A. Lindberg in Gartenflora, Jahrg. 38, 1889. Lindberg described a flower with 12 petals, the inner ones larger with a yellow-green tinge and the smaller outer ones yellow. The fruit was described as purple red.

Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, reduced synonym R. gibberula, Barthlott & Taylor 1995

Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

AH 711, Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

AH 678, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

AH 805, Serra da Bocaina, border between Rio de Janiero and São Paulo

Campos do Jordão, São Paulo, Brazil

Unknown clone

Botanical illustrations and historical images

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Description

The accepted name Rhipsalis floccosa subsp. pulvinigera (G. Lindb.) Barthlott & N. P. Taylor was published in Bradleya 13: 55. 1995. The geographic range is South-eastern 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, Uruguay found at elevations of 1800 meters with an endangered status of least concern. Rhipsalis floccosa subsp. pulvinigera is classified in the subgenus Calamorhipsalis. Observed growing as an epiphyte or lithophyte. Overall habit is erect or pendant, branches are dimorphic or monomorphic (single or more than one stem shape) and acrotonic (stems form from the tips of previous stems). Stems are round, bristles are absent to sparse to dense. Basal stems are indeterminate (seasonal growth is various lengths), 60cm x unreported. Main stems are determinate (seasonal growth is about the same length), 5cm-20cm x 0.3cm-0.7cm. Flowers are rotate: sub-patent or patent (wheel shaped: partial to wide open), 1cm-2cm x 1.8cm-3cm. Petals from 8 to 13, sepal count is unreported. Inner petals are white, light-yellow, light-yellow-green or pink, outer petals are yellow, green, pink, magenta or red. Stamen are white, from 30 to 90. Stigma lobes from 4 to 6. Flower ovary is subglobose, unreported x unreported. Flowering position on the stem is lateral to apical and the flower orientation in relation to the stem is oblique. Does repeat flowering per areole. A maximum of 2 flowers were reported at a single areole. Areole position in the stems is deeply immersed (flower ovary is partially or fully hidden in the stems during bud development). Trichomes or wool is dense at the areoles after flowering. Unripe fruit is green or red. Ripe fruit is obconical-globose; white, pink, magenta, red or purple, 0.7cm-0.8cm x 0.5cm-1cm. Other notable features: Botanical descriptions described the flowers as being white with yellow or magenta tipped petals. Ripe fruit sometimes has a reddish ring at the top. The floral characteristics for this species are similar to R. trigonoides, R. dissimilis f. dissimilis, R. floccosa subsp. hohenauensis, and R. floccosa subsp. floccosa which it is closely related1 to. Certain species can be more prone to producing betalains that color the stems reddish in higher light conditions, R. floccosa subsp. pulvinigera is one of them, however stem color is not a good identifying characteristic for any species. It is highly inconsistent within the species populations. At times with a reddish or purplish coloring around the areoles, but that is not a good idententifying characteristic for any species as R. puniceodiscus, R. neves-armondii, R. grandiflora, R. baccifera subsp. mauritiana, and R. ewaldiana at least, also inconsistently exhibit this characteristic. 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. Material Sampled, Calvente 276, ES, Brazil (SPF), in Molecular Phylogeny, Evolution, and Biogeography of South American Epiphytic Cacti2 1Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae), Nadja Korotkova, Ph.D. Thesis, 2012 2Molecular 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 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 floccosa subsp. pulvinigera referenced publications

Title	Authors	Type	Journal	Year	Volume	Issue	Pages	Publisher
Epifytische cactussen, rhipsalis.eu. Accessed on: 15 Jan. 2025	Aat van Uijen	Website		2025
IPCN Chromosome Reports. Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed on: 18 Jan. 2025		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
Updated List of the Flora of the Serra Dos Órgãos National Park, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil	Marcus Alberto Nadruz Coelho, Cecilia Faria Cronemberger	Website		2024
Rio de Janeiro - Cactaceae of the State of Rio de Janeiro (version 1, 8/2022), fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org	Diego Rafael Gonzaga, Maria de Fátima Freitas, Alice Calvente	Website		2022
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)
Cactaceae na Serra da Mantiqueira, Brasil	Diego Rafael Gonzaga, Luiz Menini Neto, Ariane Luna Peixoto	Journal Article	Rodriguésia	2020	71
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 4	Aat van Uijen	Journal Article	Succulenta	2018	97	5	220-226
Cactaceae no Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Serra da Mantiqueira, Brasil	Diego Rafael Gonzaga, Luiz Menini Neto, Ariane Luna Peixoto	Journal Article	Rodriguésia	2017	68	4	1397-1410
Rhipsalis spinescens Lombardi - eine kritische Bewertung unter Berücksichtigung neuer Funde	Andreas Hofacker	Journal Article	EPIG	2017	79		5-15
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
Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo & Espírito Santo -- Cactaceae of Serra da Mantiqueira (version 1, 11/2015), fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org	Diego Rafael Gonzaga, Ariane Luna Peixoto, Luiz Menini Neto	Website		2015
A comparative morphoanatomical study between a terrestrial and epiphytic Rhipsalis (Rhipsalideae, Cactaceae)	Sikandra-Lis Fonseca Paulinelli Garcia, Suellen Giovanoni, María Regina Torres-Boeger, Patricia Soffiatti	Journal Article	The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society	2014	141	3	265-272
Minas Gerais - Cactaceae of Ibitipoca State Park (version 2, 12/2020), fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org	Diego Rafael Gonzaga, Samyra Gomes Furtado, Daniela C. Zappi, Luiz Menini Neto	Website		2013
Phylogeny and evolution of the epiphytic Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae)	Nadja Korotkova	Ph.D. Thesis		2012				Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
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
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
Cacti of Eastern Brazil	Nigel P. Taylor, Daniela C. Zappi	Book		2004				The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Re-classification of Rhipsalideae, A Polyphyletic Tribe of the Cactaceae Durande	Alexander B. Doweld	Journal Article	Succulents	2001	4	1-2
Rhipsalis puniceodiscus G.A. LINDBERG	E. Steinberg	Journal Article	EPIG	1999	11	2	63-66
Rhipsalis puniceodiscus: Cactaceae	Nigel P. Taylor	Journal Article	Curtis's Botanical Magazine	1999	16	1	29-33	Blackwell Publishers
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
The genus Rhipsalis Gärtner (Cactaceae) in the State of São Paulo-I: species with cylindrical or subcilindrical joints	Julio Antonio Lombardi	Journal Article	Acta Botanica Brasilica	1991	5	2	53-76
Chromosome numbers in the tribe Rhipsalinae (Cactaceae)	T. W. J. Gadella, E. Kliphuis, J. Naber	Journal Article	Botaniska notiser	1979	3		294
Iii. Unterfamilie Cereoideae K. Schum. 1898	Friedrich Ritter	Journal Article	Kakteen in Südamerika	1979	20	1	36-47
Cactus Lexicon	Curt Backeberg, Walther Haage	Book		1966			205,220-222,440-449, 647, 750	Blandford Press Ltd. (1966-1973)
Iets Over Onze Rhipsalideae.	G. D. Duursma	Journal Article	Succulenta	1943	25	1	7
Notiser från Lunds Botaniska Trädgård.	Hakon Hjelmqvist	Journal Article	Botaniska notiser	1941	4		343-361
Onze Gedoornde Vrienden.		Journal Article	Succulenta	1924	6	12	170-179
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
Archivos do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro	Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro	Book		1915	1		61-105	Rio de Janeiro, Jardim Botanico
Hortus Mortolensis : enumeratio plantarum in Horto Mortolensi cultarum = Alphabetical catalogue of plants growing in the garden of the late Sir Thomas Hanbury ... at La Mortola, Ventimiglia, Italy	Giardino Botanico Hanbury, Alwin Berger	Book		1912			272-273	London, West, Newman, 1912
Handbuch der Kakteenkultur : kurze Beschreibung der meisten gegenwärtig im Handel befindlichen Kakteen, nebst Angabe zu deren Pflege für Gärtner und Kakteenliebhaber zusammengestellt	Ernst Schelle	Book		1907			226-233	Stuttgart, E. Ulmer, 1907
Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde		Book		1903	13		52-57	Neudamm, J. Neumann
Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde		Book		1900	10		32,37,116,125,193	Neudamm, J. Neumann
Gesamtbeschreibung der Kakteen (Monographia cactacearum)	Karl Schumann, Karl Hirscht	Book		1899			618-650	Neudamm [Dębno, Poland?], J. Neumann, 1899
Vilmorin’s Blumengärtnerei. Beschreibung, kultur und verwendung des gesamten pflanzenmaterials für deutsche gärten ...	Vilmorin-Andrieux et cie., August Siebert, Andreas Voss	Book		1896	1		385-388	P. Parey
Dictionnaire d'horticulture illustré	D. Bois	Book		1893			1045-1048	P. Klincksieck
Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde	Karl Schumann	Book		1893	3		8-12,22-27,33-35,69,91	Neudamm, J. Neumann
Die Sukkulenten (Fettplanzen und Kakteen) : Beschreibung, Abbildung und Kultur derselben	Theodor Rümpler, Karl Schumann	Book		1892			209-213	Berlin, P. Parey, 1892
Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde	Karl Schumann	Book		1892	2		2-4	Neudamm, J. Neumann
Revue horticole		Book		1892	Anne 1892		424-429	Paris, Librairie agricole de la maison rustique, 1829-1974
Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde		Book		1891	1		64	Neudamm, J. Neumann
Gartenflora	Deutsche Gartenbau-Gesellschaft., Kaiserliche Russischer Gartenbau-Verein in St. Petersburg., Russischer Gartenbau-Verein in St. Petersburg., Verein zur Beförderung des Gartenbaues in den Königlich Preussischen Staaten	Book		1889	38		182-187	Erlangen, F. Enke, 1852-1940
Flora Brasiliensis, enumeratio plantarum in Brasilia hactenus detectarum :quas suis aliorumque botanicorum studiis descriptas et methodo naturali digestas partim icone illustratas	Karl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, August Wilhelm Eichler, Ignaz Urban, Stephan Endlicher, Eduard Fenzl, Benj. Mary, R. Oldenburg	Book		1869	4	2	266-300	Monachii et Lipsiae [Munich & Leipzig], R. Oldenbourg, 1840-1906

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Reduced Synonyms

Name	Reduced by	Published Date	Published In
Rhipsalis pulvinigera G.Lindb.	Barthlott & Taylor (1995)	1889	Gartenflora 38: 186. 1889
Lepismium pulvinigerum (G.Lindb.) Backeb.	Barthlott & Taylor (1995)	1936	Kaktus-ABC: 155. 1936 ["1935"]
Hylorhipsalis floccosa subsp.pulvinigera (G.Lindb.) Doweld	Korotkova (2021)	2022	in Sukkulenty 4: 37. 2002 ["2001"]
Rhipsalis gibberula F.A.C.Weber	Barthlott & Taylor (1995)	1892	Rev. Hort. (Paris) 64: 426. 1892
Lepismium gibberulum (F.A.C.Weber) Backeb.	Barthlott & Taylor (1995)	1936	Kaktus-ABC: 155. 1936 ["1935"]
Rhipsalis flosculosa F.Ritter	Barthlott & Taylor (1995)	1979	Kakteen Südamerika 1: 42. 1979