FIG. 89.—RHIPSALIS FUNALIS
[R. Houlletii] (Houllet's); Bot. Mag. 6089.—Stems long, graceful, branching freely, round and twig-like, or with broad wings, as in Phyllocactus. Winged or flattened portions notched, and bearing a flower in each notch. Flowers stalkless, with pointed, straw-coloured petals, forming a shallow cup about ¾ in. across the top. Stamens and pistil white, with a tinge of red at the base. Flowering-season, November. Under cultivation, this Brazilian species forms a small, straggling shrub, about 3 ft. high, but in its native woods its stems are many feet long, and pendulous from the branches of trees. It may be grown in a warm house, in a pot, and its branches supported by a stake; or its lower stems may be fastened against a piece of soft fern-stem, into which its numerous stem-roots penetrate freely. In the winter it should be kept almost dry. The flowers remain fresh for several days, and are fragrant. A well-grown plant, when in flower, is an interesting and pretty object. It is the most ornamental kind.
[R. Knightii] (Knight's).—Stems and joints as in R. commune. Wings of joints usually broad, with red margins, and the hair in the notches in a dense tuft, nearly 1 in. long, pure white, and silk-like. Flowers small, white. This species, which thrives best under warm-house treatment, is a native of Brazil, and is usually grown only for its curious, Cereus-like stems. It forms a straggling plant about 1 ft. high. Syn. Lepismium Knightii, Cereus Knightii.
[R. mesembryanthemoides] (Mesembryanthemum-like); Bot. Mag. 3O78.—A small, compact plant, with woody stems, densely covered with little fleshy, conical joints, resembling very closely the leaves of some of the Mesembryanthemums. They are green, with a few red dots, each bearing a very small tuft of the finest hair-like spines. The flowers are developed in March, from the sides of the small joints; they are ½ in. across, and yellowish-white. Fruit a small, white, round berry. Native of South America, whence it was introduced in 1831. When grown in a warm house, in a small, round, wire basket, filled with peat and sphagnum, this little Cactus forms a pretty tuft, which in the spring produces large numbers of white, star-like flowers.
[R. myosurus] (mouse-tailed); Bot. Mag. 3755.—Stems dependent, several feet long, branching freely, jointed, with three or four angles or wings; the angles flattened, reddish, notched in the margin, and bearing a tuft of white, silky hairs in each notch. Flowers small, yellow, tinged with red, springing from the notches; produced in July. Fruit not seen. A native of Brazil; introduced in 1839. This species resembles some of the angular-stemmed kinds of Cereus. It grows freely and flowers annually, if planted in a basket of fibrous soil, and suspended near the glass in a warm greenhouse or stove. It is attractive even when not in flower, owing to the form of its stems and the tufts of long, silky, white hair which spring from the notches. Syn. Lepismium myosurus.
[R. pachyptera] (thick-winged); Bot. Mag. 2820.—Stem woody; branches jointed, flattened as in Phyllocactus, with deep notches; width of joints, 2 in. or more. Flowers small, yellowish-white, borne singly in the notches in November. Fruit a small, white berry, rarely ripened. A sturdy, comparatively uninteresting stove plant, introduced from Brazil in 1830. Syn. Cactus alatus.
[R. paradoxa] (paradoxical).—Stems trailing, with numerous long branches of most extraordinary form. Imagine a three-angled, fleshy branch, often several feet in length, the angles winged, about ½ in. deep, green, with smooth, reddish margins. At intervals of about 2 in. the branch has the appearance of having been twisted half round. There is no other plant with branches anything like these. Flowers produced in November, in the apex of the interrupted angles, small, white. Fruit seldom ripened. A native of Brazil, whence it was introduced in 1837. There is a fine example of this trained along a rafter in the Succulent-house at Kew. The numerous branches hang down several feet from the rafter, and have a most extraordinary appearance. This species requires stove treatment.
[R. penduliflora] (pendulous-flowered).—A small, thin-stemmed plant, with smooth, green branches, no thicker than whipcord, and numerous fascicled or clustered, small joints, ½ in. long, green, with red dots, angular when young. Flowers on the tips of the terminal joints, pale yellow, ½ in. across, developing in August. Fruit white, Mistletoe-like. This species was introduced from tropical America in 1877, and requires stove treatment.
[R. p. laxa] (loose).—This variety has the branches curving, and more pendulous; in other respects it resembles the type, and requires the same treatment.