Fishbone cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger)
Description
Epiphyllum anguliger, commonly known as the fishbone cactus or zig zag cactus, is a cactus species native to Mexico. The species is commonly grown as an ornamental for its fragrant flowers in the fall. The fruit is delicious and is said to taste like gooseberries. The interior of the fruit looks rather like a kiwifruit, with green pulp and small black seeds. No subspecies have been recognized, but the species is highly variable. It is most closely related to Epiphyllum crenatum and Epiphyllum laui. The specific name derives from the deeply toothed stems ("anguliger" = "angle bearing"). The species is endemic to Mexico, occurring as an epiphyte in evergreen forests in Guerrero, Jalisco, Nayarit and Oaxaca. It can be found at elevations between 1,100 and 1,800 m. This plant was first distributed by the Horticultural Society of London which obtained it from the collector T. Hartweg in 1846.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Caryophyllales
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Family: Cactaceae
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Genus: Epiphyllum
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