Cactaceae A.L. de Jussieu. Common name: Cactus Family.
Contributed by Aidan Campos & Alan Weakley
A family of about 110-139 genera and about 1450-1800 species, perennial herbs, shrubs, vines, and trees, endemic to tropical, subtropical, and temperate America (a single species, Rhipsalis baccifera, occurring as well in Africa, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka, presumably as a result of long-distance dispersal from the Americas), with centers of diversity in sw. United States-n. Mexico, s. South America, and the West Indies. The base chromosome number for the family is n=11.
References: Anderson (2001); Barthlott & Hunt (1993) In Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993); Benson (1982); Britton & Rose (1937); Fenstermacher (2016); Hunt et al. (2006); Nyffeler & Eggli (2010); Parfitt & Gibson (2003a) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2003b); Powell & Weedin (2004); Weniger (1984). Show full citations.
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