Strophocactus brasiliensis

Strophocactus brasiliensis grows as a shrub, initially upright and later sprawling. It branches freely. The thin stems are up to 3 cm (1.2 in) across and have 2–7 ribs bearing small areoles with many needle-like spines. The white funnel-shaped flowers are 12–23 cm (5–9 in) long and 11–12 cm (4–5 in) across. They open at night. The fruits are yellow when ripe.[5]

Strophocactus brasiliensis was first described, as Acanthocereus brasiliensis, by Britton and Rose in 1920.[2] It was transferred to the genus Pseudoacanthocereus as Pseudoacanthocereus brasiliensis by Friedrich Ritter in 1979,[6] a placement still accepted by some sources as of February 2021.[3] A molecular phylogenetic study of the Hylocereeae by Korotkova et al. published in 2017 showed that Pseudoacanthocereus brasiliensis formed a clade with Strophocactus wittii and Pseudoacanthocereus sicariguensis (the only other species placed in Pseudoacanthocereus):[4]

Accordingly, both species of Pseudoacanthocereus were transferred to Strophocactus.[4]

Strophocactus brasiliensis is native to Northeast and Southeast Brazil.[3] It is found in the eastern caatinga ecoregion,[4] an area of thorn scrub and seasonally dry forests.[7]