Browningieae (Buxb. 1966) Strongly branched columnar cacti, may develop a tree or shrub-like appearance over time. Prominent ribs and strong spines. Medium to large flowers that open at night. Edible fleshy fruits. Seeds with a rough appearance. Etymology: Plant tribe that resembles Browningia.Place of Origin: The Andes and the Galápagos Islands.
Cacteae (Rchb. 1832) Initially globular plants that often develop semi-columnar shapes with age. There are also a few genera with unusual forms, such as Leuchtenbergia. Their sizes can range from tiny to a couple of meters. They exhibit diurnal flowering and produce edible fruits, which are often fleshy but not always. Etymology: Name referring to it being the type tribe of the family Cactaceae.Place of Origin: From northern South America to southern North America. Most species are found in Mexico or its immediate surroundings.
Cereeae (Salm-Dyck 1840) The typical genus of this tribe is Cereus (P. Miller 1754). It consists of large columnar cacti with well-defined ribs, large nocturnal flowers generally of light colors, and huge fleshy, sweet, edible fruits. Etymology: Tribe of plants that resemble CereusPlace of Origin: Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina primarily.
Hylocereeae (Engelm. 1858) Plants generally of climbing or hanging habit, with jointed, flattened, or angular stems, and provided with ribs or wings. Short spines or spineless. Flowers are large, solitary, almost always nocturnal, with an elongated perigonial tube. The fruit is a fleshy berry, often edible, with numerous small, black, and shiny seeds. Etymology: Tribe of plants that resemble HylocereusPlace of Origin: Mainly in tropical and subtropical America, with some isolated representatives outside this region.
Notocacteae (Buxb. 1958) Almost exclusively found in the temperate to subtropical regions of South America, with their main center of diversity located between the Río de la Plata and southern Brazil. From a morphological perspective, the plants are mostly globose and small to medium in size, generally solitary, though some may be caespitose or, more rarely, columnar. The stems are typically not segmented. The flowers are diurnal, medium-sized, and arise in a subapical position. They usually display light colors, predominantly yellow. The pericarpel features scales with wool, hairs, or bristles. The fruits are generally dry. Etymology: Tribe of plants that resemble Notocactus (now Parodia)Place of Origin: Exclusively South American.
Pachycereeae (Buxb. 1958) Primarily columnar in form, many of them large and robust due to their high-strength woody structure. However, they also include small globular or even creeping species. They are generally not segmented but feature well-defined ribs. They possess a highly resilient epidermis and cuticle, adapted to both intense sun exposure and water loss, enabling them to survive in extremely arid environments. The flowers are large, nocturnal, funnel-shaped, and covered with scales, spines, or fibers depending on the species. The fruit is fleshy and typically edible. These plants produce a large quantity of seeds, usually small with a hard seed coat, which aids in their dispersal and survival in arid environments. Etymology: Tribe of plants that resemble PachycereusPlace of Origin: Primarily in Mexico, though it also has some presence in neighboring countries.
Trichocereeae (Buxb. 1958) De enorme diversidad morfológica, incluye géneros de grandes cactus columnares, plantas colgantes, globulares y pequeños cespitosos, abarcando prácticamente cualquier forma imaginable. Su rasgo distintivo se encuentra en la floración, caracterizada por flores cubiertas de pelos, espinas o lana, nacidas de las aréolas del pericarpelo y del tubo receptacular. La floración es completamente zoófila, aunque también muy diversa en este aspecto, pudiendo estar polinizada por murciélagos, colibríes o insectos. Etymology: Tribe of plants that resemble TrichocereusPlace of Origin: Sudamérica, principalmente andina, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia, Chile y Argentina. También tienen presencia en las Islas Galápago.