Why is a christmas cactus a cactaceae?

The scientific name of that cactus is Schlumbergera truncata.





Schlumbergera is a genus of 6 known tree-dwelling cacti from Brazil.


These are the tropical rainforest epiphytes, growing on tree branches where, despite the high rainfall, water drains off quickly so that "dry" conditions prevail much of the time. Not surprisingly these cacti are quite different in appearance to their desert dwelling cousins.





They are named after F. Schlumberger who was the owner of a famous plant collection.





This genus contains the popular Schlumbergera truncata, also known as Christmas Cactus which may flower in white, pink, red or purple.





Now let us see the plants /flowers . click the links below.


1) Red flowers- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Schlu...


2) Red flower with numerous stamens-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Schlu...





3) White flower-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chris...





The stems of Schlumbergera resemble leaf like pads joined one to the other and the flowers appear from areoles at the tips.





Now let us see the general features of Cactus family that make our Christmas cactus belong to that family.





The cacti are succulent plants that grow either as trees, shrubs or in the form of ground cover.





Most species grow on the ground, but there is also a whole range of epiphytic species.





In most species, except for the sub-family of the Pereskioideae, the leaves are greatly or entirely reduced.





The flowers, mostly radially symmetrical and hermaphrodite, bloom either by day or by night, depending on species.





Their shape varies from tube-like through bell-like to wheel-shaped, and their size from 0.2 to 15-30 metres.





Most of them have numerous sepals (from 5 to 50 or more), and change form from outside to inside, from bracts to petals.





They have stamens in great numbers (from 50 to 1,500, rarely fewer).





Nearly all species of cacti have a bitter milk-like substance contained within them.





The berry-like fruits may contain few, but mostly many (3,000), seeds, which can be between 0.4 and 12 mm long.





Now you will realise that many of these features are seen in the photos above. So final conclusion is ' Christmas cactus belongs to family Cactaceae'





Finally a beautiful photo of another cactus caled Echinopsis


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cactu...

Why is a christmas cactus a cactaceae?
Because it's a member of the cactus family?
Reply:Cactaceae: Cactus Family: Description of Family





Most people think they know a cactus when they see one, but they are often mistaken. All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. Agaves, ocotillos, aloes, and the succulent euphorbias (such as African milk trees) are among the swollen or spiny plants often mistaken for cacti. However, the term cactus refers to a particular family of plants defined by a distinctive flower pattern. To be a cactus, the plant must produce flowers with the following characteristics: many tepals (combined sepals and petals) that intergrade with each other; many stamens (usually hundreds), and numerous stigma lobes (rarely only three). If a plant lacks such a flower, it cannot be a cactus. The Christmas Cactus meets all of these requirements.
Reply:i didnt know that.


i dont get it either.??????????