5401.000 Cereus Mill.

Shrubby or tree-like, erect, often columnar; stems usually much branched, strongly ribbed, often glaucous. Flowers nocturnal, mostly large, funnel-shaped, usually white. Fruit ovoid, fleshy, usually red, capped by persistent style; when ripe splitting along 1-3 sides, pulp white. Seeds black.

Worldwide: The estimated number of species varies from 10 to 50; some species are now placed in Selenicereus or Hylocereus. Native from the West Indies to Argentina.

Zimbabwe: 2 cultivated taxa.