Epiphyllum crenatum
| Epiphyllum crenatum | |
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| Flower of Epiphyllum crenatum Photo: Ulf Eliasson | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Genus: | Epiphyllum |
| Species: | E. crenatum |
| Binomial name | |
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Epiphyllum crenatum (Lindl.) G.Don |
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| Synonyms | |
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Epiphyllum crenatum, the Crenate orchid cactus, is a species of cactus and one of the most important parents in creating the Epiphyllum-hybrids commonly cultivated throughout the world. It is cultivated for its beautiful diurnal flowers.
"Crenatum" (lat.) means with crenations (wavy-toothed) and refers to the crenated stem margins. The variety kimnachii honours Mr. Myron Kimnach (1922- ), well known botanist, mainly working with epiphytic cacti and Crassulaceae, and for many years working at the University of California, Berkeley and Huntington Gardens. Kimnach was director of the Huntington Botanical Gardens for 25 years and editor of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America's Journal, and Managing Editor of its peer-reviewed, technical yearbook, Haseltonia for ten years.
This species was shown at an exhibition at the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden in 1844 and won highest medal for a new introduction. It had been collected in Honduras five years earlier by Georges Ule Skinner and sent to Sir Charles Lemon who flowered it for the first time in 1843. Lindley thought it to have originated in the island of Antigua. E. crenatum is the only species of Epiphyllum that has been used in hybridization to any extent. Most of the colored hybrids have mainly Disocactus genes and perhaps better referred to as Disocactus-hybrids rather than Epiphyllum hybrids.
From Mexico (Oaxaca & Chiapas) to Honduras. Epiphytic (grows upon another plant) or lithophytic (grows on rocks) in moist or wet forests, sometimes in oak forests. 1.750 m alt. or less.
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