Floristic and taxonomic diversity of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae) in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

Abstract

Cactaceae comprises 150 genera and 1,851 species, distributed across the tropical and subtropical Americas, with one species found outside these continents. Brazil is the third-largest center of diversity and endemism for this family, where representatives are found in all Brazilian biomes. Rhipsalis, with approximately 40 species, predominantly exhibits epiphytic habits, rupicolous and rarely terrestrial habits, occurring in almost all of Brazil except Piauí, Tocantins and Distrito Federal. This study addresses the taxonomic treatment of Rhipsalis in Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil that includes three biomes: Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, and Caatinga. Specimens deposited in herbaria in the southeastern region were analyzed, and expeditions were conducted for collection and observation. Morphological analyses enabled species descriptions and the development of a taxonomic key, while georeferenced records facilitated the creation of species occurrence maps. A total of 16 taxa were identified in the state, seven of which are endangered species, especially in the Atlantic Forest biome, including new occurrence records. The inclusion of R. neves-armondii in the Flora and Funga of Brazil for Minas Gerais is proposed, while R. burchellii, R. floccosa subsp. floccosa, and R. grandiflora are excluded due to the lack of evidence in herbaria and corrections of erroneous identifications.

Key words:
Caryophyllales; epiphytes; flora; Rhipsalideae; taxonomy

Resumo

Cactaceae compreende 150 gêneros e 1.851 espécies, distribuídas nas Américas tropical e subtropical, com uma espécie fora desse continente. O Brasil é o terceiro maior centro de diversidade e endemismo da família, que abrange todos os biomas. Rhipsalis possui cerca de 40 espécies, apresenta hábito epífítico, rupícola e raro terrícola, ocorrendo em quase todo o Brasil, exceto no Piauí, Tocantins e Distrito Federal.. Este estudo aborda o tratamento taxonômico de Rhipsalis em Minas Gerais, estado do sudeste brasileiro com 586.528 km² que apresenta três biomas: Mata Atlântica, Cerrado e Caatinga. Espécimes depositados em herbários da região sudeste foram analisados, e expedições realizadas para coleta e observação. As análises morfológicas possibilitaram as descrições e permitiram elaborar uma chave taxonômica, e os registros georreferenciados possibilitaram a confecção dos mapas de ocorrência das espécies. Foram identificados 16 táxons no estado, sete deles ameaçados de extinção, especialmente na Mata Atlântica, incluindo novos registros de ocorrência. Propõe-se incluir R. neves-armondii na Flora e Funga do Brasil para Minas Gerais, e excluir R. burchellii, R. floccosa subsp. floccosa e R. grandiflora por falta de evidências em herbários e correções de identificações errôneas.

Palavras-chave:
Caryophyllales; epífitas; flora; Rhipsalideae; taxonomia

Introduction

Cactaceae, described by Jussieu (1789) and, inserted in the order Caryophyllales (APG IV 2016), is monophyletic and supported by morphological and molecular characteristics (Barthlott & Hunt 1993; Wallace 1995; Nyffeler 2002; Bárcenas et al. 2011). With 150 genera and 1,851 species, it has a Neotropical distribution, with the exception of Rhipsalis baccifera (Muel.) Stearn, which also occurs in Africa and Asia (Korotkova et al. 2021). Brazil has about 35 genera and 293 species of Cactaceae (Zappi & Taylor 2025), and is considered the third largest center of diversity and endemism of the family (Taylor & Zappi 2004). It has a high number endangered species according to the first global assessment of Cactaceae species (Goettsch et al. 2015), with 84 representatives of the family have been identified as being at some level of threat (MMA 2022). Cactaceae is divided into four subfamilies: Maihuenioideae, Pereskeoideae, Opuntioideae, and Cactoideae (Anderson 2001; Hunt et al. 2006; Cuadrado & Garralla 2009; Bárcenas et al. 2011).

Rhipsalideae, one of the tribes of the subfamily Cactoideae, has its center of diversity in southeastern Brazil and encompasses four genera: Hatiora Britton & Rose, Lepismium Pfeiff, Rhipsalis Gaertn., and Schlumbergera Lem. (Barthlott 1983). Rhipsalis was described by Gärtner (Gärtner 1788), is the largest genus of the tribe, and currently contains about 40 species, most of which are native to Brazilian territory, occurring in all federative units except Piauí, Tocantins and Distrito Federal (Zappi & Taylor 2025). Due primarily to habitat loss, 16 species are categorized at some level of threat (Goettsch et al. 2015; MMA 2022), all of which occur in Brazil.

The state of Minas Gerais (MG), in southeastern Brazil, with 586,528 km² of area, has 853 municipalities, and altitudes ranging from 79 m in the municipality of Aimorés, to 2,890 m at Pico da Bandeira, on the border between the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, its territory is categorized into three biomes: Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga (Drummond 2005). It has 95 state Conservation Units (CUs) (IEF 2024) and 18 federal CUs (IDE-Sisema 2024). Mining is one of the main economic activities in the state, progressively approaching conservation units (Rezende 2016), nonetheless, deforestation for agriculture (especially Eucalyptus sp. plantation) is overall a much larger threat than mining in terms of habitat loss in general. This expansion produces significant environmental and socioeconomic impacts, such as water contamination, air pollution, deforestation, and visual landscape degradation (Braga et al. 2007; Rezende 2016; Durães et al. 2017). The diversity of environments in the state provides high floristic diversity for many botanical families, including Cactaceae, with 109 species and 37 subspecies recorded for the state (Zappi & Taylor 2025), of which 15 species belong to the genus Rhipsalis.

The Atlantic Forest is the second largest tropical rainforest in the Americas, and has the greatest diversity of species, with the occurrence of 37 native species (Zappi & Taylor 2025). The Caatinga is the only biome restricted to the Brazilian territory (Giulietti et al. 2004) and has a record of five species of Rhipsalis. In MG it is present in a small portion in the north of the state, and presents arid environments with a predominance of shrubs and cacti adapted to long periods of drought, having significant levels of species endemism (Leal 2003). The Cerrado is the second largest Brazilian biome (Klink & Machado 2005), with a diversity of landscapes, such as the same type of vegetation with different patterns of floristic composition also related to environmental conditions (Scariot et al. 2005). This diversity of landscapes results in great floristic diversity, making this biome the richest among savannas in the world (Mendonça et al. 1998). Four species of Rhipsalis are recorded for the biome (Zappi & Taylor 2025).

The knowledge of Rhipsalis species in the state is fragmented into lists or floristic studies, for example, floras in Conservation Units, including the Vascular Flora of the Reserva Biológica da Represa do Grama (Forzza et al. 2014), Flora of the Serra do Cipó: Cactaceae (Zappi 1990), Cactaceae in Parque Estadual de Ibitipoca (Gonzaga et al. 2014a), Cactaceae in Serra Negra (Gonzaga et al. 2014b), and Cactaceae in Serra da Mantiqueira (Gonzaga et al. 2020), among others, it is only possible to obtain a more complete list of the taxa of the genus on the website Flora and Funga of Brazil 2025 (continuously updated).

The present study aimed to present a taxonomic study of the genus Rhipsalis (Cactaceae) for the state of Minas Gerais, as well as occurrence data of the species.

Material and Methods

Field expeditions were carried out in the municipalities of São Lourenço, Ouro Preto, Minduri, Passa Quatro, Passa Vinte, Santa Rita de Jacutinga, Caxambu, Carmo de Minas, Cristina, Maria da Fé, and Mariana. The specimens collected were georeferenced and deposited in the Herbarium of Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro (RB). Sterile samples were kept in cultivation in the Cactarium of the Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro (JBRJ), in order to allow the visualization and description of flowers and/or fruits and subsequent inclusion of samples in the herbarium (RB). Relevant data on habitat and, possible threats, among others, were noted.

The species were described from material collected during field expeditions, samples preserved in 70% alcohol and herborized samples deposited in herbarium collections, using infrastructure and equipment available at the institutions, which facilitate morphological analyses. Reference bibliographies for Cactaceae were used to assist in descriptions and identifications, such as the following: Anderson (2001), Taylor & Zappi (2004), Hunt et al. (2006), Calvente (2012), Gonzaga et al. (2020), and Freitas et al. (2020), among others. When necessary, materials from other states were used and are then referred to as additional material examined. For the description of R. oblonga, the measurements of flowers, perianth segments, stamens, filaments, style and stigma were adapted from the description of Gonzaga et al. (2020); for the description of the fruits of R. pacheco-leonis subsp. catenulata, information from Zappi & Taylor (2025) was adapted, and for the description of the stigma, flower diameter, and color of the fruits of R. paradoxa subsp. septentrionalis, information from Taylor (2000) was adapted.

Data on the occurrence of the genus Rhipsalis in Minas Gerais (MG) were obtained from the literature, together with collections and field observations of natural populations when possible and analysis of specimens deposited in herbaria: BHCB, CESJ, ESALQ, FCAB, HB, MBM, OUPR, P, R, RB, SP, SPF, UEC, HUFU, and VIC (Thiers, continuously updated). Of these, the herbaria BHCB, CESJ, FCAB, HB, OUPR, R, RB, RFA, and SPF were consulted in person and the others, virtually, using the platforms SpeciesLink (<https://specieslink.net/search/>) or REFLORA (<https://reflora.jbrj.gov.br>). The data were organized into Excel spreadsheets, containing information such as the names of the species, municipalities and geographic coordinates of the collections, names of the collectors, number of collections and herbarium record numbers.

Records without coordinates were georeferenced using the tool “GeoLoc” (<http://splink.cria.org.br/geoloc?criaLANG=pt>) or Google Earth (<https://www.google.com/earth/>).

The species threat categories were obtained from the Official National List of Endangered Flora Species (CNCFlora 2025; MMA 2022), from the World List for Cactaceae (Goettsch et al. 2015), and from the IUCN Red List (IUCN 2024), following the criteria of IUCN (2001).

The maps of the study area with the species records were created in the open-access QGIS program, using biome vectors, cartographic bases and IBGE boundaries (IBGE 2024), while the image sheets produced were created in the open-access Inkscape program.

Results and Discussions

Taxonomic treatment

There are 16 taxa of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae) recorded for Minas Gerais, with occurrence records in 111 municipalities. The Atlantic Forest is the biome with the largest number of collections (355) and taxa of the genus (15), followed by Cerrado (37 collections and six taxa). In the Caatinga, no collections were recorded for the genus (Fig. 1a), therefore R. floccosa subsp. oreophila, R. floccosa subsp. pulvinigera and R. lindbergiana are the taxa closest to the limits of the Caatinga. The lack of records for this biome can be attributed to the more arid environmental conditions and scarce tree vegetation, offering less protection against predators and solar radiation. The municipalities that presented the highest number of collections and species were the following: Rio Preto (41 collections and five species), Lima Duarte (38, 5), Ouro Preto (22, 5) and Alto Caparaó (19, 7, respectively), all in the Atlantic Forest biome. The species with the highest number of collections for Minas Gerais were: R. floccosa subsp. pulvinigera (122), R. lindbergiana (82), R. elliptica (43) and R. juengeri (38).

Figure 1 -
a-d. Occurrence maps of species of Rhipsalis in Minas Gerais - a. all species of the genus in Minas Gerais; b. R. cereuscula, R. clavata and R. crispata; c. R. elliptica; d. R. floccosa subsp. pulvinigera and R. floccosa subsp. oreophila.

The following species were not considered for the state of MG: R. burchellii Britton & Rose is cited as occurring on the Flora and Funga of Brazil website (Zappi & Taylor 2025), however after analyzing the samples identified as R. burchellii in herbaria, it was concluded that the correct identification for the samples is R. juengeri; R. campos-portoana Loefgr. is not cited as occurring in the state according to Flora and Funga of Brazil (Zappi & Taylor 2025), samples identified with this name were analyzed and had their identifications corrected to R. juengeri Barthlott & N.P.Taylor; R. grandiflora Haw., is cited as occurring in Minas Gerais (Zappy & Taylor 2025), however, only four samples were found in herbaria, which were analyzed and identified as R. floccosa subsp. pulvinigera (G.Lindb.) Barthlott & N.P. Taylor (2 samples), and R. lindbergiana K.Schum., the fourth sample, from Paris herbarium (P), cannot be accurately identified as it is sterile material. Therefore, R. grandiflora was not considered for the state of Minas Gerais.

A species without previously cited occurrence in Minas Gerais has its record confirmed here: R. neves-armondii K.Schum., with two exsiccates in the RB herbarium.

Seven registered species are categorized as having some level of threat (CNCFlora 2025; Goettsch et al. 2015), of which three are not protected in Conservation Units (Tab. 1).

Table 1 -
Threatened species occurring in Minas Gerais (PE = Parque Estadual; PN = Parque Nacional; REBIO = Reserva Biológica; MNM = Monumento Natural Municipal; PNM = Parque Nacional Municipal).

Species	Conservation status	Protection by protected areas
Rhipsalis clavata	Near threatened	PN do Caparaó and PE Serra do Brigadeiro
Rhipsalis crispata	Endangered	PE do Itacolomi and REBIO Mata Escura
Rhipsalis oblonga	Vulnerable	No
Rhipsalis pacheco-leonis subsp. catenulata	Endangered	MNM Gruta Nossa Senhora da Lapa
Rhipsalis paradoxa subsp. septentrionalis	Endangered	No
Rhipsalis pilocarpa	Vulnerable	PE Serra Negra da Mantiqueira
Rhipsalis russellii	Vulnerable	PNM Ribeirão do Campo

Rhipsalis Gaertn. Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. 1: 137. 1788.

Plants epiphytic, rupicolous, or rarely terrestrial; stems succulent, modified into flattened, cylindrical, or ribbed cladodes; acrotonic branching; areoles occur along the branches, from which new branches, trichomes, and flowers emerge; flower-buds are +/- erumpent; flowers hermaphrodite, from one to numerous per areole, white, whitish to yellowish, pink or magenta, campanulate or rotate, lateral or apical; pericarpels glabrous or with hairy areoles, emergent or immersed in the cladode; perianth tepaloid (external and internal segments), stamens numerous; gynoecium inferior, stigma lobed. Fruits baccoid, white, red, pink or magenta, perianth segments persistent to deciduous, seeds numerous (Freitas et al. 2020; Zappi & Taylor 2025).

Identification key for the Rhipsalis species from the state of Minas Gerais

• 1. Cladodes flattened, ribbed, or 3- winged.

• 2. Cladodes 3- winged, discontinuous, ridges alternating, determinate growth 12. Rhipsalis paradoxa subsp. septentrionalis

• 2’. Cladodes flattened or ribbed.

• 3. Cladodes ribbed, with four or more discontinuous angles, indeterminate growth 11. Rhipsalis pacheco-leonis subsp. catenulata

• 3’. Cladodes flattened or continuous 3- winged.

• 4. Fruits pink, vinaceous, purple or magenta.

• 5. Fruits pink to vinaceous, elongate, 1-6 per areole 4. Rhipsalis elliptica

• 5’. Fruits purple to magenta, spherical, 3-8 per areole 15. Rhipsalis russellii

• 4’. Fruits white to translucent white.

• 6. Crenels prominent, regular, fruits translucent white, pericarpel 1.76-3.82 × 1.07-3.23 mm 3. Rhipsalis crispata

• 6’. Crenels slightly prominent, irregular, fruits white, pericarpel 1.4-1.65 × 1.35-1.7 mm 10. Rhipsalis oblonga

• 1’. Cladodes cylindrical.

• 7. Cladodes hairy 13. Rhipsalis pilocarpa

• 7’. Cladodes glabrous.

• 8. Terminal cladodes with determinate growth (0.4-40 cm long).

• 9. Cladodes clavate at the apex, terminal cladodes 0.9-3.7 cm long, flowers campanulate, fruits white 2. Rhipsalis clavata

• 9’. Cladodes rounded at the apex.

• 10. Flowers rotate.

• 11. Pericarpel emergent on cladodes, terminal cladodes 3-12 cm long, flowers whitish, fruits translucent white 16. Rhipsalis teres

• 11’. Pericarpel immersed in cladodes.

• 12. Fruits pink-vinaceous, cladodes terminal 1.5-6.7 cm long 9. Rhipsalis neves-armondii

• 12’. Fruits white to pink, cladodes longer than 10 cm are always present 13

• 13. Cladodes terminal 10 mm thick, fruits white to pink 6. Rhipsalis floccosa subsp. pulvinigera

• 13’. Cladodes terminal 6 mm thick, fruits white 5. Rhipsalis floccosa subsp. oreophila

• 10’. Flowers campanulate.

• 14. Fruits pink or reddish, terminal cladodes 1.3-6.5 cm long 7. Rhipsalis juengeri

• 14’. Fruits white, terminal cladodes 0.4-7.5 cm long, highly branched 1. Rhipsalis cereuscula

• 8’. Terminal cladodes with indeterminate growth.

• 15. Flowers rotate, whitish with yellow ridges, 2-6 mm long, fruits white to reddish 8. Rhipsalis lindbergiana

• 15’. Flowers campanulate, white, tinted with pink, 5.8-14 mm long, fruits white, pink to translucent pink 14. Rhipsalis pulchra

1. Rhipsalis cereusculaHaw., Philos. Mag. Ann. Chem. 7: 112. 1830. Figs. 1b; 2a-b

Epiphyte, pendulous, cladodes cylindrical, dark green to light green, the basal 16.5-23 × 0.21-0.26 cm, the terminal 0.4-4 × 0.12-0.24 cm, 3-5 branched. Areoles 1.54-1.67 mm diameter, pubescent, apical. Floral buds not observed. Flowers 7.23-8.66 mm long, white, apical, campanulate, 1 per areole; pericarpel ca. 3.28 × 2.8 mm, globose, glabrous; perianth segments 11-13, the external 3-6 × 1.2-2.5 mm, triangular to lanceolate, the internal 8-10 × 2.2-2.5 mm, lanceolate; stamens 51-62, filaments 4.1-6.67 mm long; style 8.5-9.2 mm long, stigma 1.73-2 mm long, 4-lobed, lobe 1.7-2 mm long. Fruits globose, truncated, white, 3.83-6.88 × 2.92-6.6 mm, glabrous, perianth-segments deciduous; dark brown seeds, reniform, 1.24-1.4 × 0.49-0.56 mm, striated testa.

Material examined: Camanducaia, Fazenda Melhoramentos, 9.X.2001, fr., R.C. Mota & S.P. Ribeiro 1271 (BHCB). Carmo do Rio Claro, 1.IX.1961, A.G. Andrade & M. Emmerich 991 (HB, R). Gonçalves, estrada para Camanducaia, 28.X.2008, fr., L.H.Y. Kamino et al. 1240 (BHCB). Monte Belo, 1.IX.2004, M.F.O. Silva 5 (RB); RPPN Fazenda Lagoa, 22.IX.2013, fl., M.C. Wegland 2255 (RB). Passa Quatro, X.1948, J. Vidal (R 218583). Poços de Caldas, 11.IX.1966, O. Roppa 828 (HB). São Lourenço, 16.IV.2022, fr., R.M. Tortorelli 21 (RB). Tiradentes, 29.IX.1996, R.J.V. Alves et al. 5295 (R).

The species occurs in Pernambuco, Bahia, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it occurs in the municipalities of Cabeceira Grande, Camanducaia, Carmo do Rio Claro, Gonçalves, Jacutinga, Monte Belo, Passa Quatro, Poços de Caldas, São Lourenço, Tiradentes, Unaí, and Viçosa. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado Domains, with 13 records mainly in the Atlantic Forest Domain in the south of the state (Fig. 1b), it was found with flowers in August and September and fruits in April.

In a floristic treatment of Cactaceae in Serra da Mantiqueira, Gonzaga et al. (2020) did not record the species. The collection carried out in the municipality of São Lourenço, resulting from this work, represents the first record of the species for Serra da Mantiqueira. It can be confused vegetatively with R. teres, differing from it mainly by having campanulate flowers and smaller terminal cladodes.

Categorized as “Least Concern” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). It occurs in only one protected area: the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Fazenda Lagoa.

The specific epithet “cereuscula” was given due to the shape of its cladodes, which resemble the shape of cacti of the genus Cereus Mill. (Haworth 1830).

Figure 2 -
a-p. Details of the flowers, fruits and habits of the Rhipsalis species - a-b. Rhipsalis cereuscula - a. habit; b. branch with fruit; c-d. R. clavata - branch with fruits; e-f. R. crispata - e. habit; f. branch with flower; g-i. R. elliptica - g. habit; h. branch with flower; i. branch with floral buds and immature fruits; j-l. R. floccosa subsp. pulvinigera - j. habit; k. branch with flowers; l. branch with fruit; m-n. R. juengeri - m. branch with flowers; n. branch with fruits; o-p. R. lindbergiana - o. habit; p. branch with floral buds and flowers. (Photos: a,b,g,h,i,j,k,o. R.M.Tortorelli; c,d,p. D.R.Gonzaga; e,f. D.E.Barbosa; l,m,n. L.Menini Neto).

2. Rhipsalis clavata F.A.C.Weber, Rev. Hort. 64: 429. 1892. Figs. 1b; 2c-d

Epiphyte, pendulous, cladodes cylindrical, clavate, terminal 2-5 forked, the terminal 9.59-37.28 × 0.8-1.7 mm, the basal 1.86-2.42 mm diameter, areoles 0.8-1.7 mm diameter, bristly at the apical. Floral buds not observed. Flowers 6-7.06 mm long, white, terminal, campanulate, 1 per areole; pericarpel 1.45-3.57 × 1.1-2.4 mm, emerged, glabrous; perianth segments 11-12, the external 1.5-3.48 × 1.43-1.77 mm, triangular to lanceolate, the internal 4.7-6.55 × 1.72-2 mm, elliptic to lanceolate; stamens 21-23, filaments 2.15-4.8 mm long, style 4.62-8 mm long, white, stigma ca. 1.1 mm long, white, 3-4-lobed, lobe ca. 1.1 mm long. Fruits globose, immature greens with a vinaceous edge to pure white, mature translucent, 2.7-4.65 × 2.7-4 mm, glabrous, perianth-segments persistent; black seeds, reniform, 1.25-1.3 × 0.53-0.63 mm, striated testa.

Material examined: Alto Caparaó, 9.VII.1996, fl., L.S. Leoni 3442 (RB, BHCB); 12.X.2014, D.R. Gonzaga et al. 376 (RB). Carangola, 21.X.1989, L.S. Leoni 952 (RB). Ervália, 4.II.2015, fr., D.R. Gonzaga et al. 440 (RB). Fervedouro, 3.II.2015, fr., D.R. Gonzaga et al. 437 (RB).

Additional material examined: BRAZIL. RIO DE JANEIRO: Magé, Paraiso, Centro de Primatologia do RJ-FEEMA, 3.X.1984, fl., G. Martinelli et al. 9946 (RB).

The species occurs in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Espírito Santo, and Rio de Janeiro states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it occurs in the municipalities of Alto Caparaó, Carangola, Santa Maria Madalena, Santos Dumont, Ervália, and Fervedouro. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain (Fig. 1b), it has only six records for the south of the state.

The species has clavate cladodes at the apex, which is the main characteristic for distinction and recognition when compared to other species. It was found in flower in August and in fruit in February and October.

Categorized as “Near Threatened” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). It occurs in the Parque Nacional (PN) do Caparaó and Parque Estadual (PE) Serra do Brigadeiro.

The specific epithet “clavata” refers to the characteristic of the terminal cladodes, meaning key or nail shaped in Latin (Weber 1892).

3. Rhipsalis crispata (Haw.) Pfeiff., Enum. Diagn. Cact. 130. 1837. Figs. 1b; 2e-f

Epiphyte to rupicolous, pendulous, 40 cm long; cladodes flattened, green to reddish, crenate margins, crenations prominent, the terminal 7.24-18.5 × 1.5-5.1 cm, the basal 9-18 × 0.38-0.9 cm, terminal to lateral branching, 1-2 forked; areoles ca. 1 mm diameter, apical and marginal, glabrous, spaced apart 0.86-4.1 cm. Floral buds not observed. Flowers 4.2-8.85 × 17.19-19.7 mm, whitish-yellowish basis, terminal to lateral, rotate, 1-2 per areole; pericarpel depressed-globose, 1.76-3.82 × 1.07-3.23 mm, glabrous, yellowish-green; perianth segments ca. 8, the external triangular to obtuse, 1.86-5.8 × 1.69-3.47 mm, yellowish, the internal lanceolate or elliptical to ovate, 7.15-10.5 × 2.95-4.3 mm, whitish to yellowish; stamens 70-82, white, filaments 4.17-7.6 mm long, white, style 7.28-7.6 mm long, white, stigma 1.5-2.44 mm long, white, 3-4 lobed, lobe ca. 2 mm long. Fruits globose, mature translucent white, ca. 3.9-6.7 × 3.5-6.81 mm, perianth-segments deciduous; black seeds, reniform, ca. 1.14 × 0.63 mm, striated testa.

Material examined: Chácara, 31.III.2012, fl. and fr., D.E.F. Barbosa & F.R. Silva 58 (CESJ). Itamarati de Minas, 21.X.2018, fl., D.E.F. Barbosa & G.A. Basílio 573 (RB). Jequitinhonha, Rebio Mata Escura, 12.XII.2018, fr., R.T. Valadares 1959 (R). Ouro Preto, Pico do Frazão, VII.2023, fl., L.G .Pedrosa 5376 (OUPR); PE do Itacolomi, 27.IV.2018, fr., L.G. Pedrosa 252 (OUPR). Santa Maria do Salto, Fazenda Duas Barras, 25.VIII.2003, fr., J.A. Lombardi et al. 5560 (BHCB); 21.II.2005, fr., J.R. Stehmann et al. 4055 (BHCB); 10.II.2007, fr., A.M. Calvente & L.M. Versieux 320 (CESJ).

Additional material examined: BRAZIL. RIO DE JANEIRO: Niterói, Córrego dos Colibris, 16.VI.2016, fl., L.V.F. Vasconcelos 40 (RB).

The species occurs in Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Santa Catarina states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it had its first record reported in 2021 (Barbosa et al. 2021) and occurs in the municipalities of Chácara, Itamarati de Minas, Jequitinhonha, Ouro Preto, and Santa Maria do Salto. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain (Fig. 1b); there have been only eightcollections in the state, in Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, Dense Ombrophilous Forest, Hydrophilous Forest and Campo Rupestre, at an altitude of 750 to 847 meters. It was found in flower in March, October and December, and in fruit in February and March.

Categorized as “Endangered” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Data Deficient” (CNCFlora 2025). It occurs in two protected areas: the PE do Itacolomi and Reserva Biológica (REBIO) Mata Escura.

The specific epithet “crispata” comes from the Latin “crispulis” or “crispatus”, which means curly, wavy or curled, an allusion to the accentuated crenels on the margin of the species’ cladodes (Pfeiffer 1837).

4. Rhipsalis elliptica G. Lindb ex. K.Schum. In Martius Fl. bras. 4(2): 293. 1890. Figs. 1c; 2g-i

Epiphyte to rupicolous, pendulous, cladodes flattened, elliptic to ovate, the basal usually linear, green to vinaceous, shiny, 11.5-20.5 × 1-1.6 cm, the terminal 6.4-18.5 × 2.2-10 cm, apical or lateral branching, crenate margins, rounded crenations, areoles 1-2.2 mm diameter, glabrous, spaced apart 0.6-4 cm. Floral buds pink to whitish to yellowish, lateral. Flowers 4.3-6 × 11 mm, white, lateral, rotate, 1-6 per areole; pericarpel 3.24-4.3 × 2.25-3.94 mm, globose, emerged, green to yellowish-green; perianth segments 7-8, the external 1.82-5 × 0.79-3 mm, triangular, elliptical to ovate, pink to yellow, the internal 4.26-8 × 2.5-3.75 mm, elliptical to ovate, yellow; stamens 56-73, white, filaments 2.76-6 mm long, white; style 4.87-6.16 mm long, stigma 1.27-2.06 mm long, white, 4-lobed, lobe ca. 2 mm long. Fruits elongate, truncated, mature pink to vinaceous, 5.33-9.7 × 3.2-9 mm, perianth-segments deciduous; black seeds, ellipsoids to reniform, 1.02-1.24 × 0.67-0.7 mm, striated testa.

Selected material examined: Lima Duarte, PE do Ibitipoca, 11.III.2004, fr., R.C. Forzza et al. 3226 (RB). Ouro Preto, PE do Itacolomi, 26.VII.2024, fr., R.M. Tortorelli et al. 55 (RB); 26.VII.2024, fl., R.M. Tortorelli et al. 57 (RB). Passa Quatro, 15.II.2015, fl., D.R. Gonzaga & F.D. Lima 507 (RB, CESJ).

The species occurs in Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, 43 collections have been recorded distributed across 22 municipalities, most of them in the Atlantic Forest biome, with Ouro Preto, and Rio Preto having the highest number of records, while the species is also recorded in the Cerrado (Fig. 1c). It was collected in Montane Semideciduous Forest, Dense Ombrophilous Forest, and Campo Rupestre with sandy soil, at an altitude of 1,320 to 1,500 meters. It was found in flower in February, April, and November and in fruit from January to April, in August, and from October to December.

Categorized as “Least Concern” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024; CNCFlora 2025), it has records of occurrence in 13 protected areas: the PN Serra do Cipó, PN do Caparaó, PE do Ibitipoca, PE do Itacolomi, PE da Serra do Brigadeiro, PE Serra Negra da Mantiqueira, RPPN Chapadão da Serra Negra, RPPN Santuário do Caraça, Parque Natural Municipal (PNM) das Andorinhas, PNM Ribeirão do Campo, and REBIO Represa do Grama.

The specific epithet “elliptica”, comes from the Latin “ellipticus”, referring to the oblong to elliptical shape of the species’ cladodes (Martius et al. 1840).

5. Rhipsalis floccosa subsp. oreophilaN.P.Taylor & Zappi, Cactaceae Consensus Init. 6: 7. 1988. Fig. 1d

Epiphyte to rupiculous, erect, cladodes cylindrical, green to pale greenish, the basal 51-140 × 4.3-5.78 mm, the apical 60-180 × 3.53-5.19 mm, 6 mm thick, 2-3 branched, areoles 2.36-4.69 mm diameter, pubescent, distributed along the cladodes. Floral buds and flowers not seen. Fruits globose, slightly truncated at the apex, pinkish-whitish, 6.87-8.79 × 6.11-7.97 mm, perianth-segments persistent to deciduous; dark brown seeds, reniform, 1.24-1.31 × 0.61-0.65 mm, striated testa.

Material examined: Monte Azul, Pico da Formosa, 23.X.2018, fr., G. Martinelli et al. 20466 (RB); serra acima de Vila Angical pela trilha em direção à vila de Gerais, 28.I.1991, N.P. Taylor 1476 (HRCB).

The species occurs in Minas Gerais and Bahia states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it has a restricted distribution, with a record in only one municipality, Monte Azul. The species is found in the Cerrado Domain (Fig. 1d), there are two records in areas of the Cerrado bordering with the Caatinga. It was collected in Campo Rupestre, at altitudes of 1,220 to 1,800 m. It was found in fruit in October.

The species is vegetatively similar to R. floccosa subsp. pulvinigera, differing from it mainly by the terminal cladodes, 6 mm thick.

Categorized as “Least Concern”, considering all subspecies (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). It was found in one protected area: the PE Campos das Gerais.

The specific epithet “floccosa”, from the Latin “floccosus”, meaning “fluffy”, referring to the trichomes present in the areoles of the species (Pfeiffer 1837). The term “oreophila” comes from the Greek “oreo”, meaning mountain and “phila”, meaning affinity (Stearn 1992), relative to the high-altitude habitat in which the taxon occurs.

6. Rhipsalis floccosa subsp. pulvinigera (G.Lindb.) Barthlott & N.P. Taylor, Bradleya 13: 55. 1995. Figs. 1d; 2j-l

Epiphyte to rupicolous, pendulous to erect, cladodes cylindrical, dark green, grayish to reddish, the basal 185-200 × 2.6-6.8 mm, the apical 20-400 × 1.47-5.56 mm, 10 mm thick, 2-5 branched, areoles 3.36-5 mm diameter, pubescent, distributed along the cladodes. Floral buds white, yellowish-green to reddish. Flowers 4.57-10 mm long, white to greenish-white, lateral to terminal, rotate, 1 per areole; pericarpel 2.36-3.31 × 3.24-6.42 mm, triangular, immersed; perianth segments 12-13, the external 4.65-6.6 × 2.45-4.2 mm, triangular to ovate, white, tinted pink, the internal 6.14-9.62 × 1.79-3.95 mm, lanceolate, white to pink; stamens 120-166, white, filaments 3.5-5.9 mm long; style 7-8.54 mm long, white, stigma ca. 2 mm long, white, 4-5-lobed, lobe ca. 2 mm long. Fruits globose, slightly truncated at the apex, pure white to pink, 3.76-8.05 × 4.12-9 mm, perianth-segments persistent to deciduous; dark brown to reddish seeds, reniform, 1.1-1.8 × 0.8-1 mm, striated testa.

Selected material examined: Baependi, PE Serra do Papagaio, 18.IX.2010, fl., L.C. Pereira & R.M. Mello 19 (CESJ). Minduri, Chapada das Perdizes, 17.I.2024, fr., R.M. Tortorelli et al. 44 (RB); 17.I.2024, fr., R.M. Tortorelli et al. 46 (RB); 18.I.2024, fr., R.M. Tortorelli et al. 47 (RB). Lima Duarte, PE do Ibitipoca, Conceição do Ibitipoca, 13.V.2014, fr., D.R. Gonzaga 334 (RB). São Lourenço, Parque das Águas, 9.VII.2021, fl., R.M. Tortorelli 8 (RB).

The species occurs in Pernambuco, Bahia, Paraíba, Sergipe, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Paraná states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it is widely distributed, with records in 49 municipalities, with the highest number of collections in Ouro Preto, Lima Duarte, Rio Preto, and Baependi. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado Domains (Fig. 1d); there are 122 records, mostly distributed in the Atlantic Forest and areas of the Cerrado bordering with the Atlantic Forest. It was collected in Dense Altomontane Ombrophilous Forest, Montane Semideciduous Forest, Mixed Ombrophilous Forest, Atlantic Rainforest, and Campo Rupestre, at altitudes of 850 to 2,000 meters. It was found in flower in April, August, September, October and in fruit in all months, except August and November.

The species is vegetatively similar to R. neves-armondii, differing from it mainly by the white ripe fruits and the greater length of the terminal cladodes.

Categorized as “Least Concern”, considering all subspecies (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). It was found in 14 protected areas: the PN do Caparaó, PN da Serra do Cipó, PE Serra do Brigadeiro, PE Serra do Papagaio, PE Serra Negra da Mantiqueira, PE do Ibitipoca, PE Sete Salões, PE do Rio Preto, PE do Itacolomi, APA Estadual Cachoeira das Andorinhas, Rebio Pedra Branca, PNM do Ribeirão do Campo and RPPN Cata Branca, and RPPN Capanema. The specific epithet “floccosa”, from the Latin “floccosus”, meaning “fluffy”, referring to the trichomes present in the areoles of the species (Pfeiffer 1837). The term “pulvinigera” comes from the Greek “pulvinus”, meaning pillow, referring to the trichomes present in the fertile areoles of the species (Martius et al. 1890).

7. Rhipsalis juengeriBarthlott & N.P.Taylor, Bradleya 13: 69. 1995. Figs. 2m-n; 3a

Epiphyte to rupicolous, pendulous, cladodes cylindrical, green to light green, apex branches 2-5, the basal 134-330 × 1.7-6.8 mm, the terminal 13-65 × 0.8-1.64 mm, areoles 1-1.6 mm diameter, glabrous. Floral buds white, terminal to lateral. Flowers 5.2-11 × 9-14 mm, white, pendulous, campanulate, 1-2 per areole; pericarpel 1.7-3.82 × 1.1-3 mm, emerged, glabrous, green, whitish to pink; perianth segments 13-14, the external 1.46-6.2 × 1.28-3 mm, lanceolate to triangular, white, the internal 7.9-11 × 2.7-3.6 mm, lanceolate, white; stamens 42-56, yellow or white with a reddish or yellowish base, filaments 1.47-6.13 mm long; style 6.86-7.3 mm long, white, stigma 1.3-2.3 mm long, white, 4-lobed, lobe ca. 2 mm long. Fruits globose, truncated, mature pink or reddish, 3.23-7.08 × 3.12-6.8 mm, glabrous, perianth-segments persistent to deciduous; black seeds, reniform, 1.68-1.76 × 0.85-1 mm, striated testa.

Selected material examined: Alto Caparaó, PN do Caparaó, 10.X.2014, fl., D.R. Gonzaga et al. 371 (RB). Fervedouro, PE Serra do Brigadeiro, 14.I.2015, fl. and fr., D.R. Gonzaga et al. 409 (RB, CESJ). Lima Duarte, PE do Ibitipoca, 28.X.2012, fr, D.R. Gonzaga et al. 47 (CESJ); 28.X.2012, fl., D.R. Gonzaga et al. 50 (CESJ).

The species occurs in Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, and Santa Catarina states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it occurs in the municipalities Alto Caparaó, Araponga, Conceição do Ibitipoca, Fervedouro, Lima Duarte, Muriaé, Olaria, and Rio Preto. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain (Fig. 3a); there are 38 records for the south of the state. It was collected in Cloud Nanoforest, Dense Ombrophilous Forest, Dense Altomontane Ombrophilous Forest, and quartzite walls, at altitudes of 1,350 to 1,750 meters. It was found in flower in January and September to December and in fruit in January to March, September, October, and December. Often confused with R. teres due to the similarity in the branching pattern, its flowers are the main distinguishing feature, being rotate in R. teres and campanulate in R. juengeri.

Categorized as “Least Concern” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). The species is found protected in: the PN do Caparaó, PE do Ibitipoca, PE Serra do Brigadeiro and PE Serra Negra da Mantiqueira.

The specific epithet “juengeri” was given in honor of the writer and scientist Ernst Junger, on the occasion of his 100^th birthday (Barthlott & Taylor 1995).

Figure 3 -
a-d. Occurrence maps of species of Rhipsalis in Minas Gerais - a. Rhipsalis juengeri and R. lindbergiana; b. R. neves-armondii, R. oblonga, R. pacheco-leonis subsp. catenulata and R. paradoxa subsp. septentrionalis; c. R. pilocarpa and R. pulchra; d. R. russellii and R. teres.

8. Rhipsalis lindbergianaK.Schum. In Martius Fl. bras. 4(2): 271. 1890. Figs. 2o-p; 3a; 4a

Epiphyte to rupicolous, pendulous, cladodes cylindrical, indeterminate growth, dark-green to light-green, the basal 2.94-6.56 mm diameter, the terminal 22-90 × 0.12-0.39 cm, terminal 2-5 branched, areoles ca. 1 mm diameter, distributed along the cladodes. Floral buds whitish-brown to reddish. Flowers 2.05-6 × 6 mm, white to whitish, lateral, rotate, 1 per areole; pericarpel 1.2-1.83 × 1.29-2.4 mm, emerged, globose, green to light green, glabrous; perianth segments ca. 11, reflex, the external 1.5 × 1 mm, triangular, yellowish to pinkish, the internal 3.5-4.2 × 1-1.5 mm, lanceolate, white to whitish with yellowish upper edge; stamens ca. 35, white to yellow, filaments 3-3.7 mm long; style ca. 4 mm long, stigma ca. 0.5 mm long, 3-lobed, lobe ca. 0.5 mm long. Fruits globose, white to reddish, 2.26-6 × 2-5.38 mm, glabrous, perianth-segments persistent to deciduous; black seeds, ovoid to reniform, 0.8-0.9 × 0.34-0.57 mm, slightly flattened laterally, warty testa.

Selected material examined: Passa Quatro, arborização urbana, 9.IV.2023, fr., R.M. Tortorelli 33 (RB). Passa Vinte, arborização urbana, 15.I.2024, fr., R.M. Tortorelli 37 (RB); limite entre MG-RJ, 19.I.2024, fr., R.M. Tortorelli 52 (RB). Santa Rita de Jacutinga, Margens da Rodovia LMG-815, 19.I.2024, fr., R.M. Tortorelli 51 (RB). São Lourenço, Parque das Águas, 8.IV.2023, fl., R.M. Tortorelli 31 (RB).

The species occurs in Bahia, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Sergipe, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Paraná states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it has been collected in 41 municipalities, with the highest number of records in Rio Preto, Juiz de Fora, and Lima Duarte. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado Domains (Fig. 3a); there are 82 records, mostly in the Atlantic Forest. It was collected in Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, at an altitude of 600 to 1,200 meters. It is also present in urban, deforested and disturbed areas. It was found in flower from January to March and from August to November and in fruit from January to June and in August, September, and November.

Categorized as “Least Concern” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). The species is found in nine protected areas: the PN do Caparaó, PE da Serra do Papagaio, PE do Ibitipoca, PE do Rio Doce, PE Serra Negra da Mantiqueira, Rebio da Represa do Grama, Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) Água Santa de Minas, APA Carste de Lagoa Santa and APA Mata do Krambeck.

The specific epithet “lindbergiana” was given in honor of the botanist Gustaf Anders Lindberg, a Swedish botanist specializing in Cactaceae (Martius et al. 1890); he was responsible for the study and description of some species of the genus in Brazil, mainly on his trip to Minas Gerais, having several publications in Swedish and German journals (Quezada 2012).

Figure 4 -
a-p. Details of the flowers, fruits and habits of the Rhipsalis species - a. Rhipsalis lindbergiana - branch with fruits; b-c. R. neves-armondii - b. branch with flower (*); c. branch with fruit (*); d-e. R. oblonga - d. branch with flower; e. branch with fruits; f. R. pacheco-leonis subsp. catenulata - habit; g. R. paradoxa subsp. septentrionalis - branch details; h-j. R. pilocarpa - h. branch with flower; i. habit; j. branch with fruit; k-m. R. pulchra - k-l. branch with flowers; m. branch with fruit; n-o. R. russellii - n. habit; o. branch with fruits. p. R. teres - branch with floral buds and flower. (Photos: b,c,i,j. D.R.Gonzaga; g. M.A.Teixeira; n,o. O.Ribeiro; a,d,e,h,k,l,m. L.Menini Neto; f,p. R.M.Tortorelli). *external to the study area.

9. Rhipsalis neves-armondiiK.Schum. In Martius Fl. bras. 4(2): 284. 1890. Figs. 3b; 4b-c

Epiphyte, pendulous, cylindrical cladodes, light-green, branches apical and lateral, the terminal 15-67 × 2-61 mm, 2-5 forked, areoles 1.34-5.4 mm diameter, lanuginous to glabrous. Floral buds not observed. Flowers ca. 7.59 × 20 mm, light pinkish, rotate, apical to lateral, 1 per areole; pericarpel ca. 2.45 × 2.34 mm, immersed, depressed-globose; perianth segments ca. 10, the external 7.61-8.82 × 3.6-4.18 mm, lanceolate, white, the internal 7.74-10.26 × 3.75-3.95 mm, lanceolate to obovate, white; stamens ca. 90, filaments 2.8-4.39 mm long, white with orange base; style ca. 7.74 mm long, white; stigma ca. 2.6 mm long, white, 4-5 lobed, lobe ca. 2.6 mm long. Fruits globose, truncated, pink-vinaceous, 3.6-12.5 × 3.66-8.5 mm, perianth-segments persistent; brown seeds, reniform, 1.34-1.41 × 0.56-0.6 mm, warty testa.

Material examined: Carangola, 3.VIII.2007, fl., L.S. Leoni 6921 (HURB); 25.VIII.2007, fr., L.S. Leoni 6958 (RB). Faria Lemos, Fazenda Santa Rita, 27.VIII.2002, fr., L.S. Leoni 5135 (RB).

Additional material examined: BRAZIL. RIO DE JANEIRO: Petrópolis, 10.XI.2024, fl. and fr., R.M. Tortorelli 18 (RB)

The species occurs in Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, and Santa Catarina states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, its first occurrences were recorded in the municipalities of Carangola and Faria Lemos, totaling four collections, being considered rare. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain (Fig. 3b). It was found with fruit in August.

Vegetatively similar species to R. floccosa subsp. pulvinigera, this species differs from it mainly by the magenta coloration present in the ripe fruits and the shorter length of the terminal branches.

Categorized as “Least Concern” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). In Minas Gerais, there are no records in protected areas.

The specific epithet “neves-armondii” was given in honor of the Brazilian botanist Amaro Ferreira das Neves-Armond (Martius et al. 1890).

10. Rhipsalis oblongaLoefgr., Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio de Janeiro 2: 36. 1918. Figs. 3b; 4d-e

Epiphyte, pendulous, cladodes flattened or rare 3-winged, dark green or vinaceous, oblong, the basal 27.5 × 1-1.34 cm, the apical 6-17 × 2.2-3.8 cm, branches apical to lateral, margin irregularly crenate, areoles ca. 1 mm diameter, glabrous, 1.35-2.74 cm spaced apart. Floral buds lateral, yellowish. Flowers 8 × 5 mm, yellowish, rotate, 1-2 per areole; pericarpel 1.4-1.65 × 1.35-1.7 mm., light-green to pink, emerged, glabrous; perianth segments 4-7 reflex, the external ca. 1-2 × 1-3 mm, semi-orbicularis to triangular, yellow, the internal ca. 4-6 × 3 mm, lanceolate, yellowish; stamens ca. 25, white, filaments ca. 3 mm long; style ca. 4 × 1 mm, stigma ca. 2 mm long, white, 4-lobed, lobe ca. 1 mm long. Fruits globose, truncated, mature white, perianth-segments deciduous, 5.2-5.27 × 4.68-5.83 mm; black seeds, elliptical, ca. 1.23 × 0.65 mm, warty testa.

Material examined: Chácara, 6.X.2012, fl., D.E.F. Barbosa et al. 138 (CESJ); 28.VII.2012, fr., D.E.F. Barbosa et al. 111 (CESJ).

The species occurs in Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, its first record was reported in 2015 (Gonzaga et al. 2015), and was collected in the municipality of Chácara. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain (Fig. 3b), in Semideciduous Seasonal Forest and Atlantic Rainforest, at an altitude of 750 meters. It was collected in flower in October and in fruit in July.

Categorized as “Vulnerable” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and as “Near Threatened” (CNCFlora 2025). In Minas Gerais, there are no records in protected areas.

The specific epithet “oblonga” comes from the Latin “oblongus”, which means oblong, elongated, and is directly related to the oblong shape of the species cladodes (Lofgren 1918).

11. Rhipsalis pacheco-leonis subsp. catenulata (Kimnach) Barthlott & N.P.Taylor, Bradleya, 13: 59. 1995. Figs. 3b; 4f

Rupicolous, pendulous, cladodes winged, green, apical 1-3 branched, the basal 5-9 mm diameter, the terminal 330-450 × 3.03-5 mm, areoles 1.24-1.54 mm diameter, glabrous to pubescent, with acicular vestigial scales. Floral buds whitish. Flowers whitish, lateral, rotate, 1 per areole; pericarpel immersed in the cladodes; white stamens, white stigma, cream filaments. Fruits globose, white with magenta apex. Seeds not seen.

Material examined: Mariana, Antônio Pereira, Gruta da Lapa, 20.VIII.2007, D.C. Zappi 841 (SPF); Ouro Preto, Gruta da Lapa, Monumento Natural Municipal Gruta Nossa Senhora da Lapa, R.M. Tortorelli 64 (RBvc).

Additional material examined: BRAZIL. RIO DE JANEIRO: Quissamã, Conde de Araruama, estrada RJ-196, 2014, fl., P. Nahoum (RBVC 23).

The species occurs in Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, and Rio de Janeiro (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it was collected during this study on a limestone rock wall, at an altitude of about 860 meters, as a rupicolous species, in Gruta da Lapa, district of Antônio Pereira. This area is part of the MNM Gruta Nossa Senhora da Lapa, in the Atlantic Forest Domain (Fig. 3b).

The species’ striking characteristic is cladodes with well-marked ribs, more than four in number.

Categorized as “Endangered”, considering all subspecies (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). In MG, it has been found protected in the Monumento Natural Municipal Gruta Nossa Senhora da Lapa. It was seen in flower in October. Fruits not seen.

The specific epithet “pacheco-leonis” was given in honor of the doctor and botanist Antônio Pacheco Leão, who was the director of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden from 1915 to 1931 (Lofgren 1918), while “catenulata” derives from the Latin “catenulatus,” meaning string- or chain-shaped (Rizzini & Rizzini 1980), referring to the shape of the cladodes.

12. Rhipsalis paradoxa subsp. septentrionalisN.P.Taylor & Barthlott, Bradleya, 13: 57. 1995. Figs. 3b; 4g

Epiphyte, pendulous, cladodes 3- winged, with alternating edges, green, 85-460 × 4.04-8.87 mm, apical 1-4 branched; areoles 1.31-5.24 mm, glabrous to hairy. Floral buds not observed. Flowers 6.93-8.64 mm long, ca. 15 mm diameter, white to yellowish, lateral, rotate, 1-2 per areole; pericarpel glabrous, immersed, stigma white, 5-lobed. Fruit ca. 4.54 × 3.92 mm, immature greento white mature. Seeds not seen.

Material examined: Almenara, Fazenda Limoeiro, 22.II.2003, fr., J.A. Lombardi et al. 5154 (BHCB). Bandeira, Mata do Boi Rajado, 2.III.2004, fr., J.A. Lombardi et al. 5761 (BHCB). Carangola, XI.1999, fl., L.S. Leoni 4274 (RB). Conceição do Mato Dentro, Vila de Tabuleiro, 8.X.2006, A.M. Calvente et al. 252 (SPF).

Additional material examined: BRAZIL. BAHIA: Mascote, entrada na cabeceira da ponte do Rio Pardo, rodovia BR-101, área localizada depois do Rio Pardo, 27.XII.2004, fl., A.M.Amorim 4570 (RB).

The species occurs in Bahia, Pernambuco, Espírito Santo, and Minas Gerais states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it occurs in the municipalities of Carangola, Conceição do Mato Dentro, Almenara and Bandeira, at an altitude of 490 to 662 meters. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain and bordering the Cerrado (Fig. 3b); it has four records in the central and northeastern part of the state and is considered rare. It was found flower in November and in fruit in March.

Categorized as “Endangered” (MMA 2022; CNCFlora 2025) and “Least Concearn” considering all subspecies (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024). There is no record of occurrence in a protected area in Minas Gerais.

The specific epithet “paradoxa” comes from Latin “paradoxos”, meaning paradox, referring to the peculiar shape of the species, with alternating and discontinuous edges (Pfeiffer 1837). The term “septentrionalis”, comes from Latin “septentrionalis”, meanings northern, referring to the northernmost location of this subspecies relative to the type species (Barthlott & Taylor 1995).

13. Rhipsalis pilocarpaLoefgr., Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 13: 52. 1903. Figs. 3c; 4h-j

Epiphyte to rupicolous, pendulous to erect, cladodes cylindrical, green to dark green, occasionally purplish, apical 1-6 branched, the basal ca. 29 × 0.42 cm, the middle 5.6-21.5 × 0.18-0.33 cm, the terminal 1.05-15 × 0.11-0.21 cm, lateral areoles ca. 0,5 mm diameter, covered with long trichomes, terminal areoles ca. 2 mm diameter, pubescent. Floral buds whitish, apex. Flowers 0.76-1.2 cm long, white, campanulate, 1-2 per areole; pericarpel ca. 6 × 4 mm, obconic, pubescent, green to vinaceous; perianth segments ca. 19, the external 3-8 × 1.1-2.5 mm, triangular to lanceolate, white, the internal 7-11 × 1.8-2.3 mm, lanceolate, white; stamens 56-62, white, filaments 4.2-9 mm long; style 1.4-1.42 mm long, white, stigma ca. 3 mm long, white, 5-6 lobed, lobe 3-4 mm long. Fuits globose, reddish, pink, dark-pink or magenta, 6-12.16 × 4.5-11.06 mm long, pubescent, perianth-segments persistent to deciduous; black seeds, oboval to elliptical, 1.2-1.5 × 0.6- 0.8 mm, warty testa.

Selected material examined: Rio Preto, Gruta do Funil, VII.1989, fr., T.S.M. Grandi & M.M.N. Braga 327 (BHCB); Rio Preto, Serra do Funil, 23.X.1988, fl., R.C. Oliveira 22682 (CESJ); 10.XI.2005, fl., K. Antunes et al. 195 (CESJ); 3.10.1987, F.R.G. Salimena & M.C. Brugger (CESJ 21615); 21.V.2004, F.R.G. Salimena et al. 1341 (CESJ); 3.X.1987, fl., F.R. Salimena & M.C. Brugger 21635 (SPF); 26.II.1999, fr., E.M. Nic Lughadha et al. 236 (SPF); Serra Negra, 24.IV.2013, fr., K. Antunes & R.J.V. Alves 459 (R, CESJ); 27.XII.2012, fr., D.R. Gonzaga & M.R. Magalhães-Silva 128 (CESJ); 17.IV.2006, fr., N.L. Abreu et al. 70 (CESJ); Serra Negra, Vila do Funil, 19.X.2012, fl., K. Antunes et al. 306 (CESJ); Trilha do Sumidouro, 28.IV.2012, fr., D.R. Gonzaga 1 (CESJ).

The species occurs in Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Paraná states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it occurs in only one municipality Rio Preto, collected in quartzite walls, quartzite fields and cloud forest, at an altitude of 930 meters. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain (Fig. 3c); with 12 records for the southern border region of the state with Rio de Janeiro, it is considered rare. It was collected in flower in October and November, and in fruit in February, April, and December.

The species has as a striking characteristic: the presence of numerous trichomes in the areoles, which cover the cladodes, pericarpal, and fruits.

Categorized as “Vulnerable” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Near Threatened” (CNCFlora 2025), it was found protected in the PE Serra Negra da Mantiqueira.

The specific epithet “pilos” or “pilis” in Latin means hair, fur, or hairy, and “carpa” means fruit. Its name means hairy fruit, due to the presence of long trichomes in the areoles present in the cladodes and fruits, one of the main characteristics of this species (Lofgren 1903).

14. Rhipsalis pulchraLöefgr., Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio de Janeiro 1: 75. 1915. Figs. 3c; 4k-m

Epiphyte, pendulous, cylindrical cladodes, dark-green to light-green, unequal, apical 1-4 branched, the basal 2.5-5.48 mm diameter, the terminal 5.43-29 × 0.115-0.287 cm, areole 0.7-1.5 mm diameter, glabrous. Floral buds pink. Flowers 5.8-14 × 8.18-12 mm, white tinted pink, apex to lateral, campanulate, 1 per areole; pericarpel 2.46-4.69 × 2.14-4.25 mm, green, whitish to pink, glabrous; perianth segments 8-11, the external 3-7.4 × 3-4 mm, triangular to elliptical, white to light pink, the internal 9-11 × 2.5-4 mm, lanceolate, white; stamens 41-53, yellow or white to light pink, filaments 5-6.1 mm long, yellow basis; style 7.8-9.34 mm long, stigma 2.57-2.85 mm long, white, 6-lobed, lobe ca. 2.7 mm long. Fruits globose, truncated, white, pink to translucent pink, 4.44-9.8 × 3.85-8 mm, glabrous, perianth-segments deciduous; reddish brown seeds, reniform, 1.33-1.37 × 0.66-0.8 mm, warty testa.

Selected material examined: Alvorada de Minas, estrada para o Serro, 12.XII.2005, fr., A.M. Calvente et al. 184 (SPF). Conceição do Mato Dentro, PNM Ribeirão do Campo, 1.VII.2003, R.C. Mota 2094 (CESJ, BHCB); Vila de Tabuleiro, 12.12.2005, fr., A.M. Calvente et al. 183 (SPF). Itambé do Mato Dentro, Distrito de Santana do Rio Preto, Cabeça de Boi, 6.VIII.2006, fr., D.T. Souza & T.E. Almeida 68 (BHCB). Morro do Pilar, 20.XI.1989, D.C. Zappi 195 (SPF). Poté, propriedade particular, 21.VIII.2004, fl., J.A. Lombardi et al. 6094 (BHCB). Santa Maria do Salto, 10.II.2007, A.M. Calvente & L.M. Versieux 326 (SPF); 10.II.2007, A.M. Calvente & L.M. Versieux 327 (SPF); Fazenda Duas Barras, 25.VIII.2003, fl., J.A. Lombardi et al. 5559 (SPF, BHCB). Santana do Riacho, Serra do Cipó, 20.I.1998, fr., M.F. de Vasconcelos (BHCB 40122). Santo Antônio do Rio Abaixo, 25.IX.2005, fr., P.L. Viana et al. 1884 (CESJ). Serro, Milho Verde, 24.VII.2002, R.C. Mota 1678 (BHCB); 2.IX.2002, fr., R.C. Mota 1679 (BHCB).

The species occurs in Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it occurs in the municipalities of Aiuruoca, Araponga, Baependi, Bocaina de Minas, Caeté, Caldas, Conceição do Ibitipoca, Itamonte, Lima Duarte and Olaria. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain (Fig. 3c); it has 36 records in the south of the state. It was collected in Dense Altomontane Ombrophilous Forest and Mixed Ombrophilous Forest, at an altitude of 1,440 to 2,000 meters. It was found flower in July, August, and September and fruit in January, March, June, July, September, October, and December.

Categorized as “Least Concern” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). There are records of the species in 4 protected areas: the PN do Itatiaia, PE Serra do Brigadeiro, PE Serra do Papagaio and PE do Ibitipoca.

The specific epithet “pulchra” means beautiful in Latin. Therefore, the name was given to highlight the ornamental beauty of the species, mentioned as having great ornamental value (Lofgren 1915).

15. Rhipsalis russelliiBritton & Rose, Cactaceae 4: 242. 1923. Figs. 3d; 4n-o

Epiphyte to rupicolous, pendulous, cladodes flattened, rare three-ribbed, elliptic to linear, crenate margins, rounded to prominent crenations, green to reddish-green, the basal 220-245 × 8.14-25 mm, the apical 68-270 × 14-61.5 mm, apical or sub-apical 1-4 branched, areoles 1.44-3.85 mm, glabrous or with brown acicular vestigial scales, apical and lateral, 11.3-81 mm spaced apart; Floral buds greenish. Flowers 2.45-3.76 mm long, whitish, rotate, pericarpel 3-4.27× 2-3.2 mm, glabrous, perianth segments 5-7 reflex, the external 0.92-1.74 × 0.76-1.6 mm triangular to obtuse, the internal 2.8-4.32 × 1.79-2.05 mm, lanceolate to obtuse; stamens 10-20, filaments 1.8-3.37 mm long; style ca. 3.2-3.56 mm long, stigma 1.18-1.38 mm long, 4-lobed, lobe 1.18-1.38 mm long. Fruits spherical, mature purple to magenta, grouped, 3-8 per areole, 2.77-10.19 × 2.42-9.14 mm, perianth-segments deciduous to persistent; black to brown seeds, reniform, 0.92-1.08 × 0.50-0.81 mm, warty testa.

Selected material examined: Alvorada de Minas, estrada para o Serro, 12.XII.2005, fr., A.M. Calvente et al. 184 (SPF). Conceição do Mato Dentro, PNM Ribeirão do Campo, 1.VII.2003, fl., R.C. Mota 2094 (CESJ, BHCB); Vila de Tabuleiro, caminho para a cachoeira, 12.12.2005, fr., A.M. Calvente et al. 183 (SPF). Itambé do Mato Dentro, Distrito de Santana do Rio Preto, Cabeça de Boi, 6.VIII.2006, fr., D.T. Souza & T.E. Almeida 68 (BHCB). Poté, fazenda do Sr. Júlio Tavares, 21.VIII.2004, fl., J.A. Lombardi et al. 6094 (BHCB). Santa Maria do Salto, 10.II.2007, A.M. Calvente & L.M. Versieux 326 (SPF); Fazenda Duas Barras, 25.VIII.2003, fl., J.A. Lombardi et al. 5559 (SPF, BHCB). Santana do Riacho, Serra do Cipó, 20.I.1998, fr., M.F. de Vasconcelos (BHCB 40122). Santo Antônio do Rio Abaixo, 25.IX.2005, fr., P.L. Viana et al. 1884 (CESJ). Serro, Milho Verde, 24.VII.2002, R.C. Mota 1678 (BHCB); 2.IX.2002, fr., R.C. Mota 1679 (BHCB).

The species occurs in Bahia, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Paraná states (Zappi & Taylor 2025). In MG, it occurs in the municipalities of Santo Antônio do Rio Abaixo, Conceição do Mato Dentro, Santa Maria do Salto, Alvorada de Minas and Morro do Pilar. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado Domains (Fig. 3d), with 15 records for the central region of the state. It has been collected in Semideciduous Forest, Riparian Forest, Atlantic Rainforest, and Hydrophilic Forest, 435 to 1,300 meters above sea level. It was found in flower in August and in fruit in September and December.

It is a species that is easily differentiated from other species with flattened branches of the genus by its fruits, which are magenta or purple in color when ripe, and which are generally arranged in groups in the areoles.

Categorized as “Vulnerable” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Least Concern” (CNCFlora 2025). It occurs protected in PNM Ribeirão do Campo.

The specific epithet “russellii” was given in honor of the botanist Paul George Russell, a field companion of Joseph Nelson Rose, when the two collected the species in Bahia (Britton & Rose 1923).

16. Rhipsalis teres (Vell.) Steud. Nomencl. Bot. ed. 2. 2: 449. 1841. Figs. 3d; 4p

Epiphyte, pendulous, cladodes cylindrical, the basal 123.3-280 × 1.6-2.8 mm, the terminal 30-125 × 0.6-1.2 mm, apical 1-5 branched, areoles 0.45-1 mm diameter, terminal to lateral, pubescent. Floral buds whitish, glabrous. Flowers ca. 4.86-5.32 × 9.46 mm, whitish, terminal to lateral, rotate, 1-2 per areole; pericarpel 1.7-3.37 × 1.25-4.20 mm, obovate, glabrous, green to yellowish; perianth segments ca. 7, the external 1.85-2.36 × 1.16-1.9 mm, triangular, green, the internal 3.56-4.84 × 1.82-2.42 mm, lanceolate, whitish; stamens ca. 30, white, filaments 2.57-3.95 mm long, white; style ca. 4 mm long, white, stigma ca. 1.1 mm long, papillose, 3-lobed, lobe ca. 1 mm long. Fruits globose, truncated, mature translucent white, 4.14-5.52 × 4.40-5.55 mm, perianth-segments deciduous to persistent; black seeds, elliptical to reniform, 1-1.12 × 0.42-0.45 mm, striated testa.

Material examined: Alto Caparaó, PN do Caparaó, margem do Rio Caparaó, parte baixa do Vale Verde, 3.V.2017, fl., D.R. Gonzaga & R.C.C. Reis 980 (RB); 13.X.2014, fl., D.R. Gonzaga et al. 386 (RB). Carangola, Fazenda Santa Rita, 2.X.1993, fl., L.S.Leoni 2289 (RB, BHCB). Pedra Dourada, Funil, brejo próximo da sede, 28.II.2007, fr., A.P. Fontana et al. 2992 (RB).

The species occurs in Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina states (Zappi & Taylor 2024). In MG, it occurs in the municipalities of Pedra Dourada, Alto Caparaó, and Carangola. The species is found in the Atlantic Forest Domain and bordering the Cerrado (Fig. 3d), has six collections in the state, being considered rare. It was collected in Atlantic Rainforest and Tropical Rainforest at an altitude of 850 meters.

Rhipsalis teres can easily be confused vegetatively with R. juengeri, differing from it by the presentation of abundant terminal branching, supported by a single elongated basal cladode. The species are more easily differentiated by the flowers, which are campanulate in R. juengeri and rotate in R. teres. It was found in flower in February, May, and October and in fruit in February.

Categorized as “Least Concern” (Goettsch et al. 2015; IUCN 2024) and “Not Evaluated” (CNCFlora 2025). The species was found protected in the PN do Caparaó.

The specific epithet “teres” in Latin, means cylindrical or rounded, referring to the cylindrical and smooth shape of the species’ cladodes (Larranaga 1923).

The record of 16 taxa of Rhipsalis in Minas Gerais, of which seven present some level of threat, demonstrates the importance of the state in the representation of the genus. Furthemore, the genus has its greatest distribution and diversity in areas of Atlantic Forest, which highlights the importance of conserving the biome for the preservation of these species and the maintenance of biodiversity as a whole.

The presence of samples in herbaria with erroneous identification makes it difficult to understand their diversity, distribution, and ecology, and, in terms of conservation, to carry out an assessment of the risk of threat. This situation highlights the need for further studies and more collections in unsampled or poorly sampled areas, in addition to a collaborative effort by specialists in the family to carry out reviews of the identifications existing in herbaria, with the aim of updating herbarium collections, preserving the richness of this group of plants and promoting their conservation.

In the Atlantic Forest biome, 15 taxa were identified, of which seven are categorized as threatened and 10 are exclusive to this biome. In the Cerrado, six taxa occur, one of which is threatened and only one is exclusive to the biome. Five taxa are distributed between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado.

Numerous observed threats impact the Rhipsalis taxa in the state, including mining; deforestation through the replacement of native forests with eucalyptus plantations; agriculture and livestock; real estate expansion; wildfires; predatory collection for commercial and ornamental purposes; and various other anthropogenic alterations to the landscape.

Finally, we propose the inclusion of Rhipsalis neves-armondii in the Flora of Minas Gerais and in the Flora and Funga of Brazil, as well as the exclusion of R. burchellii, R. floccosa subsp. floccosa, and R. grandiflora from this database, due to the absence of documented evidence of their occurrence, the lack of samples deposited in herbaria and the erroneous identifications that were corrected here.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to CAPES, for the Master’s scholarship granted to the first author; to the curators and staff of the herbaria visited: BHCB, CESJ, FCAB, HB, OUPR, R, RB, RFA, and SPF; to Dr. Luiz Menini Neto, for assistance in using geoprocessing programs to create maps; to the Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, which provided the equipment necessary to carry out the research; as well as to the Cactarium of the Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, for the space provided for cultivating live samples.

Data availability statement

In accordance with Open Science communication practices, the authors inform that there is no data sharing of this manuscript.

References

• Anderson EF (2001) The cactus family. Timber Press, Portland. 776p.
• APG IV - Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2016) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 181: 1-20.
• Barbosa DEF, Basilio GA, Pereira LC, Gonzaga DR, Chautems A & Menini Neto L (2021) Too many floristic inventories? New records in seasonal semi-deciduous forest in the Serra da Mantiqueira in Minas Gerais state answer this question. Rodriguésia 72: e01142020. DOI: 10.1590/2175-7860202172106
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-7860202172106
• Bárcenas RT, Yesson C & Hawkins JA (2011) Molecular systematics of the Cactaceae. Cladistics 27: 470-489.
• Barthlott W (1983) Biogeography and evolution in Neo and Paleotropical Rhipsalinae (Cactaceae). Dispersal and Distribution: an International Symposium. Sonderbande des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins, Hamburg 7: 241- 248.
• Barthlott W & Hunt DR (1993) Cactaceae. In: Kubitzki K, Rohwer JG & Bittrich V (eds.) The families and genera of vascular plants. Dycotyledons. Vol. 2. Springer Verlag, Heidelberg. Pp. 161-196.
• Barthlott W & Taylor NP (1995) Notes towards a Monograph of Rhipsalideae (Cactaceae). Bradleya 13: 43-79.
• Braga ALF, Pereira LAA, Procópio M, André PA & Saldiva PHN (2007) Associação entre poluição atmosférica e doenças respiratórias e cardiovasculares na cidade de Itabira, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Cadernos de Saúde Pública 23: S570-S578.
• Britton NL & Rose JN (1923) Rhipsalis russellii . In: The Cactaceae: descriptions and illustrations of plants of the cactus family. Vol. 4. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington. Pp. 242.
• Calvente AM, Freitas MF & Andreata RHP (2005) Listagem, distribuição geográfica e conservação das espécies de Cactaceae no estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rodriguésia 56: 141-162.
• Calvente A (2012) A new subgeneric classification of Rhipsalis (Cactoideae, Cactaceae). Systematic Botany 4: 983-988.
• Cares RA, Medel R & Botto-Mahan C (2013) Frugivory in Echinopsis chiloensis (Caryophyllales: Cactaceae): Frugivoría en Echinopsis chiloensis (Caryophyllales: Cactaceae). Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 86: 489-491.
• CNCFlora (2025) Painel de dados do Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora. Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. <Available at https://cncflora.jbrj.gov.br >. Access on 25 June 2025.
  » https://cncflora.jbrj.gov.br
• Cuadrado GA & Garralla SS (2009) Palinología de los géneros de Cactaceae Maihuenia (Maihuenioideae) y Pereskia (Pereskioideae) de Argentina. Bonplandia 18: 5-12.
• Drummond GM (2005) Biodiversidade em Minas Gerais: um atlas para sua conservação. 2^a ed. Fundação Biodiversitas, Belo Horizonte. 222p.
• Durães MCO, Maia Filho B, Barbosa VV & Figueiredo FP (2017) Caracterização dos impactos ambientais da mineração na bacia hidrográfica do Rio São Lamberto, Montes Claros/MG. Caderno de Ciências Agrárias 9: 49-61. <Available at https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/ccaufmg/article/view/2957 >. Access on 20 January 2025.
  » https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/ccaufmg/article/view/2957
• Forzza RC, Pifano DS, Oliveira-Filho AT, Meireles LD, Faria PL, Salimena FR, Mynssen CM & Prado J (2014) Flora vascular da Reserva Biológica da Represa do Grama, Minas Gerais, e sua relação florística com outras florestas do sudeste brasileiro. Rodriguésia 65: 275-292.
• Freitas MDF, Calvente A & Gonzaga DR (2020) Flora do Rio de Janeiro: Cactaceae. Rodriguésia 71: e03162018.
• Gärtner J (1788) De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum I. Typis Academiae Carolinae, Stuttgart. 137p.
• Giulietti AM, Bocage Neta AN, Castro AAJF, Gamarra-Rojas CFL, Sampaio EVSB, Virgínio JF, Queiroz LP, Figueiredo MA, Rodal MJN, Barbosa MRV & Harley RM (2004) Diagnóstico da vegetação nativa do bioma Caatinga. Biodiversidade da Caatinga: áreas e ações prioritárias para a conservação. Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Brasília. 78p.
• Goettsch B, Hilton-Taylor C, Cruz-Piñón G, Duffy JP, Frances A, Hernández HM, Inger R, Pollock C, Schipper J, Superina M, Taylor NP, Tognelli M, Abba AM, Arias S, Arreola-Nava HJ, Baker MA, Bárcenas RT, Barrios D, Braun P, Butterworth CA, Búrquez A, Caceres F, Chazaro-Basañez M, Corral-Díaz R, Perea MV, Demaio PH, Duarte de Barros WA, Durán R, Yancas LF, Felger RS, Fitz-Maurice B, Fitz- Maurice WA, Gann G, Gómez-Hinostrosa C, Gonzales-Torres LR, Griffith MP, Guerrero PC, Hammel B, Heil KD, Hernández-Oria JG, Hoffmann M, Ishihara MI, Kiesling R, Larocca J, León-de la Luz JL, Loaiza CR, Lowry M, Machado MC, Majure LC, Ávalos JGM, Martorell C, Maschinski J, Méndez E, Mittermeier RA, Nassar JM, Negrón-Ortiz V, Oakley LJ, Ortega-Baes P, Ferreira ABP, Pinkava DJ, Porter JM, Puente-Martinez R, Gamarra JR, Pérez PS, Martínez ES, Smith M, J Manuel Sotomayor M del C, Stuart SM, Muñoz JLT, Terrazas T, Terry M, Trevisson M, Valverde T, Devender TRV, Véliz-Pérez ME, Walter HE, Sarah A Wyatt, Zappi D, Zavala-Hurtado JA & Gaston KJ (2015) High proportion of cactus species threatened with extinction. Nature Plants 15142: 1-7.
• Gonzaga DR, Barbosa DEF, Basilio GA, Silva FR & Menini Neto L (2015) First record of Rhipsalis oblonga (Cactaceae), a threatened plant species, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Check List: the journal of biodiversity data 11: 1-6.
• Gonzaga DR & Reis RCC (2019) The importance of ex-situ conservation: the challenges of the Cactarium at Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro. In: Santos MR (org.) Cacti: ecology, conservation, uses and significance. Vol.1. Nova Science Publishers, New York. Pp. 1-279.
• Gonzaga DR, Menini Neto L & Peixoto AL (2020) Cactaceae na Serra da Mantiqueira, Brasil. Rodriguésia 71: e02572018.
• Gonzaga DR, Zappi DC, Furtado SG & Menini Neto L (2014a) Cactaceae no Parque Estadual de Ibitipoca, Minas Gerais Brasil. Boletim de Botânica da Universidade de São Paulo 32: 1-8.
• Gonzaga DR, Zappi DC, Furtado SG & Menini Neto L (2014b) Cactaceae na Serra Negra, Minas Gerais Brasil. Rodriguésia 65: 443-453.
• Hammer Ø, Harper DAT & Ryan PD (2001) PAST: paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontologia Electronica 4: 1-9.
• Hawort AH (1830) Cacteae. In: The Philosophical Magazine: or annals of chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, natural history and general science. Vol. 7. Richard Taylor and Co. London. Pp. 112-113.
• Hunt D, Taylor NP & Charles G (2006) The New Cactus Lexicon. DH Books, Milborne Port. 373p.
• IBGE - Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (2024) Geociências: mapas temáticos. <Available at http://downloads.ibge.gov.br/downloads_geociencias.htm >. Access on 3 March 2024.
  » http://downloads.ibge.gov.br/downloads_geociencias.htm
• IDE-Sisema (2024) Infraestrutura de dados espaciais do Sistema Estadual de Meio Ambiente e Recursos Hídricos. Unidades de conservação federais. <Available at https://idesisema.meioambiente.mg.gov.br/geonetwork/srv/api/records/48a7ad10-baee-4dff-aebd-fd275346a7ba >. Access on 23 April 2024.
  » https://idesisema.meioambiente.mg.gov.br/geonetwork/srv/api/records/48a7ad10-baee-4dff-aebd-fd275346a7ba
• IEF (2024) Instituto Estadual de Florestas. Unidades de Conservação. <Available at https://ief.mg.gov.br/unidades-de-conservação >. Access on 23 de abril de 2024.
  » https://ief.mg.gov.br/unidades-de-conservação
• IUCN (2001) IUCN Red list categories and criteria. Version 3.1. IUCN Species Survival Commission. Cambridge. <Available at https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/categories-and-criteria >. Access on 10 July 2024.
  » https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/categories-and-criteria
• IUCN (2024) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-1. <Available at https://www.iucnredlist.org >. Access on 10 July 2024.
  » https://www.iucnredlist.org
• Jussieu AL (1789) Genera Plantarum: secundum ordines naturales disposita, juxta methodum in Horto regio parisiensi exaratam. Turici Helvetorum: sumtibus Ziegleri & Filiorum. Paris, 498p.
• Klink CA & Machado RB (2005) A conservação do Cerrado brasileiro. Megadiversidade 1: 147-155.
• Korotkova N, Aquino D, Arias S, Eggli U, Franck A, Gómez-Hinostrosa C, Guerrero PC, Hernández HM, Kohlbecker A, Köhler M, Luther K, Majure LC, Müller A, Metzing D, Nyffeler R, Sánchez D, Schlumpberger B & Berendsohn WG (2021) Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org - a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. Willdenowia 51: 251-270.
• Larranaga DA (1923) Cactus teres, Escr. Larrañaga. Vol 2. Instituto Histórico y Geográphico del Uruguay, Imprenta Nacional, Montevideo. 512p.
• Leal IR (2003) Ecologia e conservação da Caatinga. Editora Universitária UFPE, Recife. 806p.
• Lofgren A (1903) Rhipsalis pilocarpa n. sp. Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde 13: 52-55.
• Lofgren A (1915) O gênero Rhipsalis Archivos do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro 1: 75-76.
• Lofgren A (1918) Novas contribuições para o gênero Rhipsalis Archivos do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro 2: 36-38.
• Schumann K (1890) Cactaceae. In: Martius CFP, Eichler AW & Urban I (eds.) Flora brasiliensis Leipzig, Munchen, Wien. Vol. 4, pars II, pp. 266-300.
• Mendonça RC, Felfili JM, Walter BMT, Silva Júnior MC, Rezende AV, Filgueiras TS & Nogueira PE (1998) Flora vascular do Cerrado. In: Almeida SP & Sano SM (eds.) Cerrado: ambiente e flora. EMBRAPA, Planaltina. Pp. 289-556.
• MMA - Ministério do Meio Ambiente (2022) Lista oficial de espécies da flora brasileira ameaçadas de extinção. Portaria MMA N° 148, de 7 de junho de 2022. <Available at https://in.gov.br/en/web/dou/-/portaria-mma-n-148-de-7-de-junho-de 2022-406272733 >. Access on 4 July 2022.
  » https://in.gov.br/en/web/dou/-/portaria-mma-n-148-de-7-de-junho-de 2022-406272733
• Nyffeler R (2002) Phylogenetic relationships in the cactus family (Cactaceae) based on the evidence from trnK/matK and trnL-trnF sequences. American Journal of Botany 89: 312-326.
• Pfeiffer LGK (1837) R. crispata Pfr. Enumeratio Diagnostica Cactearum. Hucusque Cognitarum. Sumtibus Ludovici Oehmigke, Berolini. Pp. 130-140.
• Quezada HC (2012) Anders Fredrik Regnell (1807-1884). Médico, botanista y mecenas en Suecia y Brasil. RIL editores, Santiago de Chile. 226p.
• Rezende VL (2016) A mineração em Minas Gerais: uma análise de sua expansão e os impactos ambientais e sociais causados por décadas de exploração. Sociedade & Natureza 28: 375-384.
• Rizzini CT & Rizzini CM (1980) Dicionário botânico clássico latino-portugués averbado. In: Arquivos do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro 27: 58.
• Scariot A, Felfili JM & Silva JCS (2005) Cerrado: ecologia, biodiversidade e conservação. Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Brasília. 439p.
• Stearn WT (1992) Botanical Latin. History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary. Hafner, New York. 566p.
• Taylor NP (2000) Taxonomy and phytogeography of the Cactaceae of eastern Brazil. PhD thesis. The Open University & Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 414p.
• Taylor NP & Zappi D (2004) Cacti of Eastern Brazil. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 499p.
• Thiers B (continuously updated) Index Herbariorum: a global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium. <Available at http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/ >. Access on 10 September 2024.
  » http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/
• Wallace RS (1995) Molecular systematic study of the Cactaceae: using chloroplast DNA variation to elucidate cactus phylogeny. Bradleya 13: 1-12.
• Weber FAC (1892) Rhipsalis clavata and Rhipsalis salicornioides, var. bambusoides. Revue Horticole 64: 429.
• Zappi DC (1990) Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais: Cactaceae (1). Boletim de Botânica da Universidade de São Paulo 12: 43-59.
• Zappi D & Taylor NP (2025) Cactaceae in Flora e Funga do Brasil (continuously updated). Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. <Available at https://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/FB1681 >. Access on 10 February 2025.
  » https://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/FB1681

Cite as:

Tortorelli RM, Gonzaga DR & Peixoto AL (2025) Floristic and taxonomic diversity of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae) in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Rodriguésia 76: e00382025. DOI: 10.1590/2175-7860202576058

List of exsiccatae

Abreu NL 70 (13). Aglio FJC 29 (6). Almeida M 12 (7). Alves FE 164 (7), 152 (14), 181 (7), 190 (4). Alves RJV 8780 (6), 8795 (6), 6017a (6), 5295 (1), R 225783 (8). Andrade AG 1225 (6), 1240 (6), 991 (1). Andrade PM 819 (6). Antunes K 459 (13), 195 (13), 200 (4), 203 (8), 306 (13). Araújo FS 193 (7). Araújo-Silva V 114 (4). Badini J OUPR 2471 (6). Barbosa DEF 58 (3), 573 (3), 358 (4), 362 (6), 29 (8), 111 (10), 138 (10), 337 (8), 85 (8). Bragioni TLS 1 (4). Brandão F 2298 (8). Brina AE (8). Brugger MC 22902 (7), 22904 (7), 22930 (6), CESJ 22930 (6), 24716 (14), CESJ 26277 (4). Calvente AM 320 (3), 326 (15), 327 (15), 332 (6), 183 (15), 184 (15), 252 (12), 264 (14), 266 (7). Carmo FF 1194 (6), 1003 (6), 1322 (6), 1599 (6), 3598 (6), 4771 (6), 2416 (6), 2696 (6). Castellanos A 22541 (4). Coelho BBS CESJ 22748 (8). Cunha CN 3 (8). Eiterer M 58 (7). Fernandez EP 1017 (6), 875 (4). Ferreira MTM 24 (4). Ferreira VL 33 (8), 106 (8). Fontana AP 2992 (16). Forzza RC 2057 (4), 2920 (8), 3062 (6), 3110 (7), 3204 (7), 3226 (4), 3227 (14), 3611 (7), 4147 (14), 4246 (6). França GS 130 (6). Furtado SG 101 (14), 102 (14), 131 (14), 139 (14), 140 (6), 48 (6), 107 (6), 180 (14). Gasper AL 2709 (6). Giordano LC 2424 (6). Giulietti AM SPF 74761 (6). Gonzaga DR 507 (4), 508 (8), 353 (14), 128 (13), 130 (4), 980 (16), 1 (13), 2 (8), 263 (14), 264 (14), 265 (6), 3 (8), 334 (6), 37 (14), 398 (4), 41 (14), 444 (7), 542 (6), 9 (8), 16 (4), 17 (4), 18 (8), 21 (8), 22 (8), 230 (4), 27 (6), 28 (6), 30 (4), 36 (6), 37 (14), 371 (7), 372 (7), 376 (2), 378 (6), 379 (4), 38 (8), 381 (4), 382 (6), 386 (16), 4 (8), 400 (4), 406 (14), 407 (14), 408 (6), 409 (7), 418 (7), 419 (6), 426 (7), 428 (14), 429 (7), 431 (8), 432 (4), 434 (7), 436 (6), 437 (2), 440 (2), 441 (6), 443 (7), 45 (6), 47 (7), 48 (14), 49 (6), 50 (7), 541 (8), 548 (4), 618 (8), 7 (8), 747 (8), 975 (6), 442 (6), 6 (4). Grandi TSM 327 (13), 1951 (6), 2394 (6). Harley RM 25510 (8). Hashimoto G GHSP 11199 (6). Heringer EP 13991 (8). Hoehne FC 6350 (6). Justino LL 133 (6). Kamino LHY 1240 (1). Krieger L 77 (8), 13174 (7), 8589 (6), 8594 (7), 9269a (8), 9959 (8), 22583 (7), 233 (7), 23374 (4), CESJ 9269 (14). Kuhlmann JG RB 2742 (8). Lélis C 1 (6), 4 (4). Lemos RCC 1 (6), 3 (4). Leoni LS 2645 (7), 2289 (16), 2415 (14), 2782 (8), 3442 (2), 4274, 5135 (9), 5135 (9), 66 (6), 6921 (9), 6958 (9), 6992 (8), 930 (8), 952 (2), 3105 (8). Lombardi JA 1355 (8), 1468 (8), 2427 (8), 5154 (12), 5321 (8), 5559 (15), 5560 (3), 5761 (12), 6094 (15). Marquete R 3069 (6). Martinelli G 20466 (5). Matozinhos CN 405 (4). Medeiros EVS 370 (7). Mello Silva R CESJ 59710 (6). Mello RM 50 (6). Melo PHA 37 (14), 1391 (8). Mendes MS BHCB 15547 (6). Menini Neto L CESJ 60800 (8), 1107 (14), 63 (7), 365 (8). Messias MCTB 1223 (6), 139 (8), 905 (6). Meyer PB 3038 (8). Monteiro RF 348 (14), 359 (6). Moreira B 203 (7). Moreira NC 196 (8). Mota RC 1271 (1), 1678 (15), 1679 (15), 2094 (15), 3283 (6), 893 (4), 1680 (4), 1681 (6). Nic Lughadha EM 233 (8), 236 (13). Oliveira GB 43 (7). Oliveira RC CESJ 25526 (7), 22682 (13), 711 (6). Paiva JAM 1008 (7), 1011 (4). Paula J 9 (6). Pedrosa LG 1776 (4), 246 (6), 252 (3), 2662 (6), 3814 (8), 5376 (3). Pereira LC 19 (6). Pifano DS 368 (8). Pirani JR 252 (8). Pivari MO 2620 (6). Prado J SPF 78775 (6), Rabello C 2895 (6). Rezende MG 39 (6), 68 (14), 196 (14). Rezende SG 7943 (14), 3774 (4), 3447 (8). Rodinsky VC RB 661303 (14). Rodrigues LC 129 (6). Roman SA 28 (8). Romão GO 2237 (6). Roppa O 828 (1). Salimena FRG 1061 (6), 3310 (6), 21635 (13), 2811 (8), CESJ 21615 (13), 1341 (13). Salino A 3516 (8), 4138 (8). Sampaio PSP 1044 (6). Santiago DS 33 (6), 62 (14). Silva GP 5967 (1). Silva CN 4 (8). Silva CO 2 (8). Silva CR 7 (8). Silva MFO 5 (1). Silva TC 140 (6). Silveira A 93 (8). Simão-Bianchini R 211 (8). Soares-Silva JP 341 (8). Sousa HC BHCB 15341 (7), SPF 70723 (6). Souza DT 529 (6), 68 (15). Souza FS 258 (6), 874 (4). Stehmann JR 241 (6), 4055 (3). Sulcre D 10190 (8). Tameirão Neto E 1802 (8), 2439 (8). Taylor NP 774 (8), 1476 (5). Teixeira WA BHCB 26517 (6). Torres RB 1215 (6). Tortorelli RM 47 (6), 21 (1), 31 (8), 33 (8), 55 (4), 57 (4), 8 (6), 37 (8), 44 (6), 46 (6), 51 (8), 52 (8). Valadares RT 1959 (3). Valente A 378 (8). Vasconcelos MF BHCB 47870 (6), BHCB 40122 (15). Viana PL 1996 (7), 1694 (6), 1884 (15), 3692 (4), 4002 (6). Vidal J R 218583 (1). Wegland MC 2255 (1). Zappi DC 2501 (6), 195 (15), 259 (7), 260 (14), 261 (6), 841 (11), SPF 72100 (6).

⁶

Author for correspondence: [e-mail]

Area Editor:

Dr. Paulo Guimarães

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  12 Dec 2025
• Date of issue
  2025

History

• Received
  31 Mar 2025
• Accepted
  05 Sept 2025