German empress

Description

Disocactus phyllanthoides, the nopalxochitl or German empress, is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae and is commonly grown as an ornamental houseplant. It is one of the three major species involved in creating the widely grown epiphyllum hybrids or "epis". The others are Disocactus speciosus and Epiphyllum crenatum. Stems to 1 m long or more, branching, primary stems to 40 cm long, 6 mm thick, woody and terete at base, flattened at apex; secondary stems flat, lanceolate, acute, margins coarsely crenated or scalloped, obtusely toothed, with terete, stalk-like base, 15–30 cm long, 2,5–5 cm wide; areoles nude except for young growth; epidermis green or reddish, nearly smooth. Flowers campanulate, funnel-shaped, diurnal and scentless*, 8–10 cm long, 7–9 cm wide, produced on year old branches; pericarpel ovate with a few spreading bracteoles; entire receptacle 2,5–5 cm long, 7–10 mm thick; bracteoles more numerous than on the pericarpel, reflexed, green to blackish purple, naked in their axills; outer tepals lanceolate, opening irregularly before flowering, then spreading widely, rose-pink; inner tepals lanceolate-obtuse, ± erect, pink, paler inside; stamens declinate, as long as the tepals, white; style as long as tepals, white, stigma lobes 5-7. Fruit ellipsoid, 3–4 cm with low ribs, green at first, later red. Seeds dark brown. J. Borg (Cacti, 1951) report it as "sweet-scented". Disocactus phyllanthoides is very easily cultivated. The soil should contain plenty of leaf-mould and the plant be given regular water and dozes of fertilizer in summer. Best kept relatively cool and dry in winter, 10–15 °C (50–59 °F). Plants held under proper conditions can produce flowers at least three times a year, but the main flowering period is spring.