Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae: Caryophyllales

Cactaceae - Cactus family

Gonçalves, M.L. (1978) Cactaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4

Leistner, O.A. (ed.) (2000) Seed plants of southern Africa: families and genera Strelitzia 10

Description of the family

Herbs, perennials, epiphytes, shrubs or trees, usually succulent. Stems variously modified: cylindric, flattened or spherical, bearing complex axillary, rounded, usually raised structures (areoles) The areoles bear flowers, leaves, spine clusters and often barbed bristles. Leaves present, often deciduous, or reduced or 0. Flowers solitary, sessile (except Pereskia), bisexual, usually actinomorphic. Perianth segments in gradual transition from green sepals to often very showy petals. Stamens numerous. Ovary inferior, 1-locular. Fruit usually a berry, rarely a capsule.

Worldwide: 97 genera and 1,400 species, mostly hot and dry habitats in the New World, a few Old World tropical.

Zimbabwe: 5 genera and 7 taxa.

Rhipsalis baccifera

Links to genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Cereus Mill.Description, Image
Harrisia BrittonDescription, Image
Opuntia Mill.Description, Image
Pereskia Mill.Description, Image
Rhipsalis Gaertn.Description, Image

Other sources of information about Cactaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Cactaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Cactaceae
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Cactaceae
Flora of Malawi: Cactaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Cactaceae
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Cactaceae
Flora of Zambia: Cactaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Cactaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cactaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cactaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cactaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cactaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cactaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cactaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Cactaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cactaceae
Wikipedia: Cactaceae
Plants of the World Online: Cactaceae
Tropicos: Cactaceae



Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Family page: Cactaceae.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=42, retrieved 19 March 2024

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