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Glite Dictionary
Acanthocereus

Acanthocereus

9.9
A group of cacti with long hanging stems and white flowers that open at night from the Americas
  • noun
  • /ˌækənθoʊˈsɪəriəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Acanthocereus
  • The Acanthocereus blooms only at night, showing its large white flowers to nocturnal pollinators.

Examples

  • Gardeners admire Acanthocereus for its unusual trailing stems and spectacular night flowers.

  • Botanists discovered a new species in the Acanthocereus genus growing near the Caribbean coast.

  • The Acanthocereus species bloom at night.

  • Did you see the Acanthocereus flowers in the garden?

  • Gardeners admire Acanthocereus for its unusual trailing stems and spectacular night flowers.

  • The Acanthocereus blooms only at night, showing its large white flowers to nocturnal pollinators.

  • Botanists discovered a new species in the Acanthocereus genus growing near the Caribbean coast.

Compounds

Acanthocereus pentagonus
  • Specialized
9.9

A cactus from dry parts of Mexico and the US with sweet edible fruit

Acanthocereus tetragonus
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall cactus with square stems that produces edible, juicy fruit

Surface Forms

Acanthocereus singular
Acanthocereuses plural

Etymology

Acanthocereus comes from Greek acantha meaning 'thorn' and Latin cereus meaning 'candle', a name long used for certain cacti. So imagine a 'thorny candle' to remember this genus of spiny, often trailing cacti that open large white flowers at night in tropical America and the Caribbean.