Rhipsalis baccifera
(J.S.Muell.) Stearn
Cactaceae
Cactus caripensis Kunth
Cactus parasiticus Lam.
Cactus pendulus Sw.
Cassytha baccifera J.S. Muell.
Cassytha baccifera Mill. ex DC.
Cereus caripensis (Kunth) DC.
Hariota cassytha Lem.
Rhipsalis bartlettii Clover
Rhipsalis bermejensis F. Ritter
Rhipsalis cassutha Gaertn.
Rhipsalis cassytha Gaertn.
Rhipsalis cereuscula Haw.
Rhipsalis comorensis F.A.C. Weber
Rhipsalis coralloides Rauh
Rhipsalis delphinensis Barthlott
Rhipsalis fasciculata (Willd.) Haw.
Rhipsalis heptagona Rauh & Backeb.
Rhipsalis horrida Baker
Rhipsalis madagascariensis F.A.C. Weber
Rhipsalis mauritiana (DC.) Barthlott
Rhipsalis minutiflora K. Schum.
Rhipsalis parasitica (Lam.) Haw.
Rhipsalis parasiticus Haw.
Rhipsalis pendulina A. Berger
Rhipsalis pilosa F.A.C. Weber ex K. Schum.
Rhipsalis prismatica (Lem.) Rumpler
Rhipsalis saxicola Rauh
Rhipsalis shaferi Britton & Rose
Rhipsalis suareziana F.A.C. Weber
Rhipsalis tetragona Web.
Common Name: Mistletoe Cactus
General Information
Rhipsalis baccifera is a leafless, succulent, epiphytic plant with green, hanging stems that can be between 1 - 4 metres long. Although a member of the cactus family, it has a very different appearance and is usually spine-free[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
,
1987- Title
- The Cactus Family
- Publication
-
- Author
- Anderson E.F.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 0-88192-498-9
- Description
- An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
,
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental.
Rhipsalis baccifera is an extremely widespread species and is usually abundant where it occurs. Even though it may be exposed to threats in some areas, none of them are significant to the overall status of the species. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
529- Title
- The Cactaceae
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton N.L. & Rose J.N.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- The Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An immense work in 4 volumes. Many of the botanical names are out of date, of course, but the book contains a wealth of information about the plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1987- Title
- The Cactus Family
- Publication
-
- Author
- Anderson E.F.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 0-88192-498-9
- Description
- An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
Range
S. America - Argentina through to Mexico and Florida; Caribbean; Africa - Sierra Leone t Kenya, south to S. Africa; Madagascar, Mauritius, Sri Lanka.
Habitat
Found mostly in rather wet areas, mainly on the trunks and branches of trees or shrubs; also occasionally found on rocks; at elevations from 150 - 1,500 metres in Jamaica[
426- Title
- Flowering Plants of Jamaica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Adams. C.D.
- Publisher
- University of the West Indies; Jamaica.
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 2.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Found at low to moderate elevations in the moist tropics[
426- Title
- Flowering Plants of Jamaica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Adams. C.D.
- Publisher
- University of the West Indies; Jamaica.
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc.
]. Plants are not tolerant of frost[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Prefers a position in light to moderate shade[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
]. Requires a well-drained soil[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
]. Requires a pH below 6[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Plants can flower and produce fruit all year round[
426- Title
- Flowering Plants of Jamaica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Adams. C.D.
- Publisher
- University of the West Indies; Jamaica.
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc.
].
The fruit is produced in great profusion[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Soft, sweet and juicy, like small grapes[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The globose fruit is 5 - 8mm in diameter[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Medicinal
The stem is crushed and used with the juice of Lonchocarpus chrysophyllus to treat the bites of coral snakes (Micrurus sp.)[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
]. It is used with Philodendron sp. to soothe the wounds of venomous stingrays (Potamotrygon sp.), placed in a cataplasm of the peeled stem[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
The whole plant is used as an ingredient in a curative herbal bath[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
The plant is used to treat various conditions[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
Cuttings root in 2 to 6 weeks depending on the season[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
