Hylocereeae

Korotkova, Nadja, Borsch, Thomas & Arias, Salvador, 2017, A phylogenetic framework for the Hylocereeae (Cactaceae) and implications for the circumscription of the genera, Phytotaxa 327 (1), pp. 1-46 : 9

The Hylocereeae clade

The main characteristic of the Hylocereeae is their predominantly hemi-or holoepiphytic habit; no clear morphological synapomorphies can be reported for this group. The members of Hylocereeae are highly variable in morphology and the inclusion of Acanthocereus makes them even more heterogeneous. As depicted here, the Hylocereeae contain terrestrial, scandent, hemiepiphytic and holoepiphytic species. Many of the species form aerial roots. The stems can be ribbed and spiny and succulent to various degrees, or flattened and leaf-like. Flowers and floral syndromes are very diverse: there are very large, nocturnal flowers as well as bright red flowers, presumably bird-pollinated, and small, white flowers. The two major Hylocereeae subclades are also distinguishable morphologically as pointed out by Cruz et al. (2016). The hylocereoid clade (1.0 PP, 65% MLBS, 68% JK) contains predominantly scandent or epiphytic species with spiny and ribbed stems, and nocturnal flowers. In contrast, the phyllocactoid clade (1.0 PP, 62% MLBS, 55% JK) contains mainly the epiphytic species with flattened, spineless leaf-like stems.