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Epiphyllum phyllanthus (L.) Haw.

Climbing Cactus

Native records: 27 botanical areas

Argentina Northeast, Belize, Bolivia, 24 more areas

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Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Epiphyllum phyllanthus

A succulent epiphyte of seasonally dry tropical climates. Native to Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Cayman Islands and elsewhere.

This entry carries only the classification and distribution data recorded in WCVP. A written account is not yet available.

Distribution areas

  • Argentina

    • Argentina NortheastNative

  • Belize

    • BelizeNative

  • Bolivia, Plurinational State of

    • BoliviaNative

  • Brazil

    • Brazil NorthNative
    • Brazil NortheastNative
    • Brazil SouthNative
    • Brazil SoutheastNative
    • Brazil West-CentralNative

  • Cayman Islands

    • Cayman Is.Native

  • Colombia

    • ColombiaNative

  • Costa Rica

    • Costa RicaNative

  • Ecuador

    • EcuadorNative

  • El Salvador

    • El SalvadorNative

  • French Guiana

    • French GuianaNative

  • Guatemala

    • GuatemalaNative

  • Guyana

    • GuyanaNative

  • India

    • AssamIntroduced

  • Mexico

    • Mexico CentralNative
    • Mexico GulfNative
    • Mexico SoutheastNative
    • Mexico SouthwestNative

  • Nicaragua

    • NicaraguaNative

  • Panama

    • PanamaNative

  • Paraguay

    • ParaguayNative

  • Peru

    • PeruNative

  • Suriname

    • SurinamNative

  • Uruguay

    • UruguayNative

  • Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

    • VenezuelaNative

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer
  • Af Tropical, rainforest
  • Am Tropical, monsoon
  • Cwb Temperate, dry winter, warm summer
  • BSh Arid, steppe, hot
  • Cfb Temperate, no dry season, warm summer
  • ET Polar, tundra
  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer

The same climate occurs in 217 areas worldwide, 189 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Recorded medicinal uses

The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.

  • Epiphyllum phyllanthus is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.224, left column, line 33

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

Climbing Cactus

Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Epiphyllum

Other species in Epiphyllum

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Argentina · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Belize · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bolivia, Plurinational State of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Brazil · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Colombia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Costa Rica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cayman Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Ecuador · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guatemala · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    French Guiana · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guyana · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    India · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mexico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Nicaragua · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Panama · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Peru · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Paraguay · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    El Salvador · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Suriname · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Uruguay · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

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