Rhipsalis Species H-Z Rarity

Part 2: classifying Rhipsalis species H-Z for their rarity in cultivation in the US

[@koschnick1]

I must say I've watched these two videos multiple times in my quest to correctly identify these "kids". I think I can speak for everyone and say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done to help us properly identify and care for these beautiful plants. You're the best.

[@EpiphyticCacti]

Thank you, and thank you so much for your email - I truly loved reading it and was happy to hear you enjoy my channel! 💚🌱

[@lorithompson9166]

Costa Farms now grows (and sells at Lowe’s) Rhipsalis Capilliformis here in Florida for $15 in a 6” pot from their exotic plants collection.

[@kaktus_cactus]

Fantastic 2 parts, beautiful collection. Can I please ask for more close up photos next time😀

[@EpiphyticCacti]

Thank you 💚🌱

[@jozefmirkowicz1143]

Of course your videos are useful! Keep doing them. 😊

[@davidcheever8175]

Thanks again for going through all the different types of Rhipsalis in your collection and giving us some kind of description for each of the species. There just isn't enough good information out there covering all the different R. species. South America and Central America is a big place and a lot of it is very remote or being slashed and burned for farmland. Some of these species are only grown in collections and not in the wild anymore. Most nurseries get a stock plant with a name on it and then start growing thousands of cuttings without doing the research to determine if it is correct because that takes time to grow it large enough to see it flower and fruit and verify that it's correct. Thanks for all the research you have done to try and identify the different R. species. Maybe you could go back to school and do a DNA study on the Rhipsalis species???????? Keep up the good work!!!

[@EpiphyticCacti]

Thank you. I very strongly considered studying botany before I chose a different field, although I never lost my interest in plants. They have and are continuing to conduct molecular phylogeny testing on Rhipsalis and other genus within the tribe Rhipsalideae. I think some years back there was a large reclassification that was the results of these studies. It’s been interesting to see the taxon changes. 💚🌱

[@rossjerky]

I think something that also gets different species of rhipsalis confused is the fact that most of them are just labeled generically as a mistletoe cactus. I got a small rhipsalis pilocarpa from home depot a few months ago labeled as a mistletoe cactus with no actual species name and it hasn't grown much, so I was trying to do more research on its care and I only learned from watching this video that there's more than one species of rhipsalis

[@EpiphyticCacti]

I love this comment 💚🌱. It’s nice to be reminded that a lot of people get their unlabeled Rhipsalis from the succulent section of big box stores, and I’m really glad to hear that this video helped you learn that there are way more Rhipsalis than just the one. The main reason I made the video was to raise awareness about the plethora of Rhipsalis species. Those big box store plants are what I like to call gateway plants 😂.

[@andreachang9998]

Thank you so much for this video! I can now safely say that the rhipsalis I purchased as R. sulcata is most definitely not a sulcata. My search for its correct ID continues...

[@EpiphyticCacti]

Thank you! 💚🌱

[@EpiphyticCacti]

@@andreachang9998 nice find with R. trigona it’s very hard to find in the US. University collections and Botanical Gardens can have mislabeled plants although it’s less common that they do. They aren’t necessarily collecting from the wild. They might have private collections donated or plants are confiscated from unauthorized imports. If the specimen you picked up matches the described species It’s authenticity shouldn’t be questioned. If it doesn’t match the described species though it should be questioned. I know in my collection none of the Rhipsalis I own match the described R. sulcata, but I’m able to determine that because I can examine them in person. I sent you a PM on Facebook to possibly provide you with resources to help with identification. 💚🌱

[@chaotatca2003]

Hi Ephiphytic Cacti, I'm currently doing research on Rhipsalis. I'm so confused about subspecies. I saw people random name for subspieces initital such ssp, ss, subs, f, sp, spp. For example: Rhipsalis baccifera f. shaferi, some people also name them Rhipsalis baccifera ss shaferi Rhipsalis baccifera sp. shaferi Rhipsalis baccifera ssp. shaferi Rhipsalis baccifera subs. shaferi Do you think which one is correct way to name it in botanical name? I'm so so confused.

[@EpiphyticCacti]

Hi! R. shaferi is not a good example because it is it’s own species now R. shaferi! I know what you are asking though. Some of these are the abbreviations for the word species, ssp. and subsp. are the same in that context, so R. floccosa ssp. pulvinigera is a correct way to abbreviate a subspecies of the species R. floccosa. The use of sp. would be incorrect here as it means an unidentified singular species so Rhipsalis sp. would be correct and spp. is the plural if that so Rhipsalis spp. would be correct. I’ve never seen ss. What makes a subspecies is when they are growing in areas that do not overlap and have different characteristics, but where they do overlap there are intermediates. I haven’t seen v. or var. used much more recently, I find it mostly in older texts it was an abbreviation for varietas, Latin for variety. f. is the abbreviation for forma the Latin for form it’s when a sporadic occurrence happens in the distribution area of a higher taxon. So, R. teres f. prismatica occurs randomly in the same areas as the other forms of R. teres. It is also only correct to use either the full unabbreviated names like Rhipsalis floccosa subspecies pulvinigera or Rhipsalis teres forma prismatica… or the abbreviated names like R. floccosa ssp. floccosa or R. teres f. prismatica. I tend to use the English form instead of the Latin forma but scientifically the Latin is correct. Lastly they have been reclassified many times over the years so it’s common to find old var. abbreviations that are now f. abbreviations or ssp. abbreviations. These abbreviations should only be applied to species and not hybrids. Hybrid naming conventions are different. You might see things xRhipslas astra or Rhipsalis ‘Astra’ which is an appropriate hybrid naming convention but it’s also a bad marketing naming convention for commercial plant sales like Rhipsalis ‘Old Mans Beard’ which is not a hybrid it’s a made up name that became a common name for a group of Rhipsalis species much like Mistletoe Cactus became a common name for the entire genus Rhipsalis. I hope that helps clear up the awkward scientific naming!

[@chaotatca2003]

@@EpiphyticCacti Thank you very much, it clear everything out a lot for me now. That's really helpful for me to do the study on this genus even tho it is under-studied which is sad.

[@EpiphyticCacti]

@@chaotatca2003 it will be less understudied for you studying it! I’m happy you are taking interest in them. 💚🌱

[@vanitygirl6989]

I wrote in the first video A-G that I couldn’t find Hoelleri in scandivaia or just in Europe, but I could find dem in the USA. Now you just said what I was thinking and have found out :) When I find this species on Etsy, they don’t ship to Europe :(

[@EpiphyticCacti]

Have you tried doing in search of posts (ISO) on Facebook? I don’t know if I’ve ever seed it at Kakteen-Haage or Uhlig Kakteen, maybe seedlingsandcuttings.eu has it. If you aren’t a member of the EPIG Facebook group that would be a good group to join and do an ISO posts, there are much more serious European epicacti members in that group. 💚🌱

[@marianfinn9711]

I'd really like to know where you got your plant stand.

[@EpiphyticCacti]

I found them on Amazon. There are 2 sizes. Tall Metal Plant Planter Stand 20 Tiers Display Plants Indoor or Outdoors on a Balcony Patio Garden or Use as a Room Divider or Vertical Garden Inside Your Home Urban Gardening (Dark Gray) www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWRT6GE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_PMX21Y4PVBZRE56EJ7BK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 Vertical Metal Plant Stand 13 Tiers Display Plants Indoor or Outdoors on a Balcony Patio Garden or Use as a Room Divider or Vertical Garden Inside Your Home or Great for Urban Gardening (Dark Gray) www.amazon.com/dp/B01ACJD7K8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8JNKFAKFATDFQ693MDRF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[@gabrielarobles823]

I have a rhipsalis that has part dismilis dismilis / Paradoxa

[@explodingducklet6361]

what do you mean by 'clades"? :O

[@EpiphyticCacti]

It’s short for phylloclade: a flattened branch or stem-joint resembling and functioning as a leaf.

[@explodingducklet6361]

@@EpiphyticCacti Oh cool! Thanks for replying!!

[@gabrielarobles823]

How can I send you pictures?

[@EpiphyticCacti]

Hi, you can send pictures to [e-mail]

[@jackieconnolly328]

Hi,wow I’m even more mind blown after watching this ! I found my love for these funky plants during the global lockdown.I’m obsessed with plants and couldn’t resist buying ( very cheaply ) the unusual plants for sale in my local store.I’m so glad I bought the odd looking specimens on offer….. had no idea what they were but now I’m a fan of them and enjoying learning about their natural habit , Long story short, I’m unsure of what some of my ‘little buddies’ are so I’m going to just enjoy them,carry on watching your videos and have a vague idea of what they might actually be ….thankyou for sharing your knowledge….I’m learning 😆

[@Laurie_in_Maine]

My first born child has stated her ABSOLUTE OBJECTION to my use of this barter system. She's not even willing to agree to a simple name change transaction. :) And neither daughter is interested in next generation production... #screwed :)

[@EpiphyticCacti]

🤣 well that seems a little ungrateful!

[@genskitchenmagic2957]

Pulchra (pulkra) means “beautiful” in Latin.

[@EpiphyticCacti]

That is a very fitting name, thank you for the correct pronunciation 💚🌱

[@genskitchenmagic2957]

@@EpiphyticCacti took three years of Latin in high school about a million years ago.

[@genskitchenmagic2957]

I don’t believe there are as many discrete “species” as we believe. I think many of them cross readily, which would indicate a single species with many forms. Life is much easier if you are a lumper, not a splitter. 😹😹😹

[@EpiphyticCacti]

I think that is very true, realistically they likely came from very similar plants if not the same plant in some cases and evolution has created both big and small differences, some of those differences are very small. Us humans like to understand our surroundings by defining things and us collectors would up a creek without a paddle if they weren’t defined. We are also human which means we are prone to making mistakes. “Cats and dogs living together! Mass hysteria!” 🤣

[@lisahardy8735]

now I am clearly confused lol

[@EpiphyticCacti]

Rhipsalis and confused should be synonymous imho 😂!