Brahmakamal : Orchid Cactus: Epiphyllum oxypetallum

Brahmakamal : Orchid Cactus: Epiphyllum oxypetallum

Epiphyllum  oxypetalum is a very interesting and unique plant. It belongs to Family Cactaceae. It is commonly known as Night blooming Cereus, Queen of the night,Lady of the night as its beautiful Lotus like flower blooms late night. In India it is called as Brahma Kamal ( ब्रह्मकमल  ) and is treated as a sacred plant.It is popularly known as Orchid Cactus as the flower has orchid like beauty and plant resembles cactus in habit. It is known by different common names in different parts of the world viz.  Jungle cactus,   Dutchman's Pipe

The generic name Epiphyllum  of the plant refers to flowers borne on leaf like phylloclade and the Specific name oxypetalum refers to acute petals.

Cereus oxypetalus, Phyllocactus oxypetalus, Cereus latifrons, Epiphyllum latifrons, Phyllocactus grandis, Epiphyllum grande, Epiphyllum acuminatum are the names used for similar plants.

Distribution :

The Plant has many synonyms viz. Cereus oxypetalus, Phyllocactus oxypetalus (de Candolle), Phyllocactus acuminatus , Epiphyllum grande, Epiphyllum latifrons and is often confused with Cereus species. The plants of Cactaceae generally have origin in Central America. Closely allied species like Epiphyllum crenatum , E. Hookerii, E. Anguliger are distributed in Northern and Central America. Epiphyllum oxypetalum Plant is native to Sri lanka where  it is known as Kaduphul ,it is believed that  plant blooms rarely and that too late night. In India this flower has been reported from different parts like Mumbai, Bangalore,Chennai, Ranchi ,Uttrakhand etc.The plant  flowers generally in rainy season from mid June to  mid October.  It has diverse distribution and grows wild in tropical rain forests. A slightly different type is found in Mexico ,Brazil, Venezuela and is  locally described as Phyllocactus purpusii . It is also found as a cultivated plant in some parts of America such as California either as Epiphyte or Lithophyte. Here the flowers bear carmine red coloured outer tepals and instead of sweet fragrance has slightly unpleasant smell.

Systematic Position :

Bentham and Hooker’s Classification System ( 1862-1883)		Cronquist’s( 1981) system of Classifiction
Division	Phanerogams	Kingdom	Plantae
Class	Dicotyledons	Subkingdom	Tracheophyta
Sub Class	Polypetalae	Superdivision	Spermatophyta
Series	Calciflorae	Division	Magnoliophyta
Order	Ficoidales	Class	Magnoliopsida
Family	Cactaceae	Sub Class	Caryophyllidae
Genus	Epiphyllum	Order	Caryophyllal;es
Species	oxypetalum	Family	Cactaceae
		Genus	Epiphyllum
		Species	Oxypetalum
A P De Condolle ( !824-1873) System of Classification		Engler and Prantle’s System of Classification( 1849-1893)
Kingdom	Plantae	Class	Dicotyledons
Sub Kingdom	Angiosperms	Sub Class	Archichlamydeae
Class	Dicotyledonae (Eudicots )	Order	Opuntiales
Order	Caryophyllales	Family	Cactaceae
Family	Cactaceae	Genus	Epiphyllum
Genus	Epiphyllum	Species	oxypetallum
Species	oxypetalum
Hutchinson’s System of Classification (1959)
Phylum	Angiospermae
Sub-phylum	Dicotyledones
Division	Lignosae
Order	Cactales
Family	Cactaceae
Genus	Epiphyllum
Species	oxypetalum

  Cultivation:

It is propagated by  rhizome, herbaceous stem and leaf cutting or layering.Prefers acidic soil and filtered sun light. It can also be grown indoor .To grow the plant , a leaf is planted in the soil or is placed horizontally on soil. The cut phylloclade can also be dipped in water . In about three weeks  adventitious roots come out , then can be planted in pot containing soil.From margins of phylloclade bulbil like structures grow.

Brief Morphological Description :

Stems are erect, climbing or sprawling, profusely branched, primary stems cylindrical, to 1-2-4 m long, flattened laterally. Secondary stems (which look like leaves) are flat, elliptic-acuminate, to 30 cm x 10-12 cm, thin; margins shallowly  crenate and wavy

Flowers are produced from flattened portions,are up  to 30 cm long, 12-17 cm wide, nocturnal, very fragrant. The principal odour component in the aroma is of  benzyle salisylate; pericarpel nude, slightly angled, green, bracteoles short; receptacle 13–20 cm long, 1-2 cm thick, brownish, arching, bracteoles narrow, about  10 mm long; outer tepals linear, acute, 8–10 cm long reddish to amber; inner tepals oblanceolate to oblong, acuminate, to 8–10 cm long and 2,5 cm wide, whitish; stamens many (about 100) white,filament delicate  slender and weak; style greenish white or white, 4 mm thick, as long as inner tepals, pale yellow or white  multilobed  stigma, style is delicate white and long  Fruit is oblong, 12 x 8 cm, purplish red, angled.
 Epiphyllums are indeed true cacti, but are more often labeled as "Epicacti" or "jungle cacti" to differentiate them from related desert flora. Orchid cactus blooms at night, since the flowers are predominantly pollinated by bats and large moths. They have large white star-like flowers to help their pollinators locate the blossoms by moon or star light, and many have very lovely fragrances.

Pure white flowers, the size of about 6 to 8 inches in diameter , after sunset and stay open all night, closing in the morning before sunrise.

Features of special interest : Peculirities about the plant :

This flower, named after Brahma, the God of Creation, blooms only for one night in the entire year, somewhere between mid June and mid October. The blooming lasts only for a few (10 ) hours. Brahmakamal is related with the story of how Brahma emerged from Vishnu’s naval in a lotus flower.It ia also believed that it is a sacred flower and does not bloom in all homes and in the homes where it blooms are considered lucky and is a sign or notation of prosperity. There are some nice stories about the Brahmakamal. It is believed that It is the flower in which Hindu God Brahma resides and the place where it blooms will be the receiver of glad things. People who pray to God while the flower is blooming get their wishes fulfilled. There is a belief that the Brahmakamal should be gifted and should not be sold or bought from the market . If video recording of blooming is performed one can experience a very pleasant and shoothing music in complete silence.As its blooming is rare ,people invite their friends and relatives to cherish watch this wonderful and special event.