Hylocereus costaricensis
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Red-fleshed Pitahaya | |
---|---|
File:Hylocereus costaricensis7EDWARD.jpg | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
(unranked): | |
(unranked): | |
(unranked): | |
Order: | |
Family: | |
Genus: | |
Species: |
H. costaricensis
|
Binomial name | |
Hylocereus costaricensis (F.A.C.Weber) Britton & Rose
|
|
Synonyms | |
Cereus trigonus var. costaricensis F.A.C.Weber |
Lua error in Module:Taxonbar/candidate at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Hylocereus costaricensis, the Costa Rican pitahaya or Costa Rica nightblooming cactus, is a cactus species native to Central America and northwestern South America. The species is grown commercially for its Pitahaya fruit, but is also an impressive ornamental vine with huge flowers. Most plants grown under the name Hylocereus polyrhizus refer to this species. The latter name is ambiguous and not used.
Contents
Etymology
Named after Costa Rica where it was first discovered.[citation needed]
Origin and habitat
Guatemala to northeast Peru. Dry forest and coastal areas, 0–1400 m altitude.
Systematics
Hylocereus costaricensis is closely related to Hylocereus ocamponis, but lacks the horny stems margins of the latter species.
Description
- Stem scandent, 1-3 (-10) cm wide, usually very thick; ribs 3 (-4), margins straight to shallowly scallop-lobed; internodes 2-3.5 x 0.1-0.2 cm; often folded, areoles on prominences, bearing dense, short wool and (1-) 3-6 (-9) short, dark spines 2–4 mm, hairs 2, often bristle-like, soon dropping; epidermis grayish green, +- glaucous in fresh material.
- Flowers funnel-shaped, 22–30 cm long, strongly perfumed, young buds globular; cylindric-ovoid, ca 4 cm long, bracteoles narrow, foliaceous, numerous, imbricate, 1–2 cm long; receptacle stout, 10–15 cm, throat obconic, 6 cm in wide at the orifice, bracteoles foliaceous, persistent, particularly imbricating towards the base, green with purple margins; tepals 11–15 cm, the outer greenish yellow, the inner white; stigma lobes ca. 12, not forked; ovary covered with large, broadly to narrowly triangular, overlapping bracteoles, 0.5–3 cm.
- Fruit broadly ovate to globose, bright magenta, pupla purple; seeds pear-shaped, black, ca 10mm.
Cultivation
An easily cultivated, fast growing epiphyte or xerophyte. Needs a compost containing plenty of humus and sufficient moisture in summer. It should not be kept under 10 °C (50 °F) in winter. Can be grown in semi-shade or full sun. Extra light in the early spring will stimulate budding. Flowers in summer or autumn.
Nutrition
This fruit is one of the few to have indicaxanthin, a betalain, a type of plant pigment antioxidant.
See also
Wikispecies has information related to: Hylocereus costaricensis |
- Pages with broken file links
- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Articles with unsourced statements from January 2012
- Hylocereus
- Cacti of South America
- Tropical fruit
- Desert fruit
- Neotropic ecozone flora
- Flora of Central America
- Flora of western South America
- Flora of Guatemala
- Flora of Peru
- Crops originating from western South America
- Crops originating from the Americas
- Garden plants of Central America
- Garden plants of South America
- Drought-tolerant plants
- Vines
- Flowers
- Night-blooming plants
- Epiphytes
- House plants