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Selenicereus pteranthus

(Link ex A.Dietr.) Britton & Rose (1909)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-CoreEudicot Order: Caryophyllales Family: Cactaceae Genus: Selenicereus

queen-of-the-night

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Plants terrestrial to epiphytic, vine like, clambering, pendent.

Stems: Stems bluish green to purple, to 100–300 × 2.5–5 cm, ribs 4–6, acute, areoles 2–2.5 cm apart along ribs, 1.5–3.0 mm.

Roots: Roots frequently aerial and adventitious.

Leaves: Leaves modified into spines. Spines 1–5, short conic (acicular on immature stems), 1–3 mm; radial and central spines not distinguishable. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers solitary. Flowers bisexual (perfect), 25–30 × 20 cm. Flower tube bearing numerous scales and long, white, hairlike spines. Outer tepals brown or purplish (or yellow?), narrow; inner tepals white, oblanceolate, apex acute. Stamens numerous. Ovary inferior, areoles of ovary bearing numerous scales and long, white, hairlike spines.

Fruit: Fruits red; spheric; 45–70 mm diam.; hidden by short (to 1 cm); yellowish; bristlelike spines and long; white hairlike spines. Seeds black; ovoid to reniform; shiny.

Ploidy: 2n = 22

Habitat: Disturbed coastal sites.

Elevation Range: 0–10 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Potentially naturalizing

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 431 (1909)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Selenicereus pteranthus Honolulu, Oahu Ave., his residence Preserved_Specimen Ehrhorn, E.M. Oahu BISH 1940-06-03
2 Selenicereus pteranthus 622 Judd Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1944-08-11
3 Selenicereus pteranthus Lower Waahila ridge along dirtbike trails. Dry ridge full sun, Arboreal on Senna surratensis. Under Leucaena leucocephala Preserved_Specimen Arthur, K. 60 Oahu BISH 2025-02-14
4 Selenicereus pteranthus Koloa, Lawai Valley. Allerton Gardens (Lawai Kai), along driveway from Spouting Horn Rd climbing and sprawling over rock wall Preserved_Specimen Lorence, D.H. 6615 Kauai BISH 1990-09-27
5 Selenicereus pteranthus Manoa Valley, Mr. Ehrhorn's garden Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 27264 Oahu BISH 1931-07-01
6 Selenicereus pteranthus Koloa District: West end of Lawai Road at entrance to Lawai Kai secondary vegetation with Casuarina and Euphorbia tirucalli Preserved_Specimen Lorence, D.H. 6278 Kauai BISH 1988-09-12
7 Selenicereus pteranthus Across from 2266 Tantalus Dr black ciner slope Preserved_Specimen Teraoka, W. 41 Oahu BISH 1979-06-22
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