5401.060 Hylocereus (A.Berger) Britton & Rose - Pitahayas or Dragon-fruits

Shrubs, scandent or scrambling or epiphytic; stems branched, usually 3-winged or –angled, segmented, margins often horny, often producing numerous aerial roots. Leaves absent. Flowers usually very large, nocturnal, white or rarely red, funnelform; pericarpel with leaf-like scales. Fruit fleshy, large, globose with broad scales. Seeds numerous, testa glossy black.

Derivation of name: Tropical America.

Comment: Recent phylogenetic research established that this genus and other genera in the related tribe are not monophyletic but a revised taxonomy has not yet been published.

Worldwide: 16 species in C America and W Indies.

Zimbabwe: 1 cultivated taxon.