Botanical Art

 Schlumbergera Flowers, Series 2

A hummingbird friendly flower

The flowers are held more or less horizontally with the higher side of the flower different from the lower side (radially asymmetrical or zygomorphic). Each flower has 20–30 tepals. The outer tepals – those closer to the base of the flower – are short and unconnected, and spread out or curve backwards. The inner tepals – those towards the tip of the flower – are longer and in most species become progressively more fused together at the base to form a floral tube. The flowers of Schlumbergera have adaptations for pollination by hummingbirds: tubular flowers with abundant nectar, and colours towards the red end of the spectrum. Most species require cross-pollination to set seed.

Schlumbergera is a genus of succulent plants belonging to the Cactaceae family. It is also called "Christmas Cactus". This genus is made up of six species, all with pink flowers. There are many hybrids, whose flowers are of various colors: purple, pink, red, orange or white, among which the famous Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera x×buckleyi, which results from the crossing of Schlumbergera truncata and Schlumbergera russelliana. The Easter cactus, Hatiora gaertneri, belongs to the parent genus Hatiora. They are epiphytic or lithophytic plants from the neotropical zone of Brazil. [Ref.: Wikipedia]

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