Cereus (plant)

This article is about the genus of cacti. For other uses, see Cereus.

Cereus
Cereus repandus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Cereeae
Subtribe: Cereinae
Genus: Cereus
Mill.[1]
Type species
Cereus hexagonus
Synonyms[1]
  • Cirinosum Neck. nom. illeg., opus utique oppr.
  • Estevesia P.J.Braun
  • Piptanthocereus (A.Berger) Riccob.
  • Praepilosocereus Guiggi
  • Subpilocereus Backeb.

Cereus (/ˈsɪəriəs/ "serious")[2] is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae) including around 33 species of large columnar cacti from South America. The name is derived from Greek (κηρός) and Latin words meaning "wax", "torch" or "candle". Cereus was one of the first cactus genera to be described; the circumscription varies depending on the authority. The term "cereus" is also sometimes used for a ceroid cactus, any cactus with a very elongated body, including columnar growth cacti and epiphytic cacti.[3][4][5]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference POWO_60437289-2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Cereus". The Chambers Dictionary (9th ed.). Chambers. 2003. ISBN 0-550-10105-5.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference freedictionary was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Definition of CEREUS". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference cactiguidecereus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).