epiphyllum

[ ep-uh-fil-uhm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

any of several mostly epiphytic cacti of the genus Epiphyllum, native to tropical America, having large, fragrant white flowers.

< New Latin, equivalent to Greek epi- epi- + Greek phýllon leaf; so called from the leaflike branches on which the flower grows

Thus among cacti the leafless epiphyllum grows remarkably well upon the leaf-bearing pereskia.

The Epiphyllum, or Lobster Cactus, is one of the best of the family, easy of culture.

The similarity of its branches to Epiphyllum led to its being included in that genus by Haworth.

They are often called Epiphyllum, which name is, however, properly restricted to the group next to be mentioned.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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