| a cactus, Schlumbergera bridgesii (or Zygocactus bridgesii), native to Brazil, having stems with leaflike segments and showy, purplish-red flowers, and often cultivated as a houseplant. |
| Christmas cactus n. An epiphytic cactus (Schlumbergera ×bridgesii) of Brazilian ancestry, widely cultivated as a houseplant and having jointed flat segments with crenate margins and showy, often magenta or rose-purple flowers that bloom in winter. |
| Main Entry: | Christmas cactus |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | succulent South American plant with red, pink, or white flowers, grown as a houseplant |
| Etymology: | Schlumbergera bridgesii |