Leptocereus is a genus of cacti that are native to the Greater Antilles.[1] It has been placed in the tribe Leptocereeae or in a broadly defined Echinocereeae.[2]
It is a very rare plant to encounter. The plants themselves are mostly sprawling shrubs, but can also form trees up to 30 feet or more in height. The stems are highly angled; with few large ribs which bear comfortably-spaced areoles that have spine clusters of about 10 spines or so. Some lose spine as they age. Oftenly, the flowers are white or whitish-green and bear spines on raised areoles.[3]
, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:[4]
| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Leptocereus arboreus Britton & Rose | Santa Clara, Cuba. | |
| Leptocereus assurgens (C.Wright ex Griseb.) Britton & Rose | Cuba | |
| Leptocereus carinatus Areces | Cuba | |
| Leptocereus demissus Areces | southwestern Hispaniola[5] | |
| Leptocereus grantianus Britton | Puerto Rico | |
| Leptocereus leonii Britton & Rose | Cuba | |
| Leptocereus paniculatus (Lam.) D.R.Hunt | Hispaniola | |
| Leptocereus quadricostatus (Bello) Britton & Rose | Puerto Rico | |
| Leptocereus scopulophilus Areces | La Habana, Cuba. | |
| Leptocereus sylvestris Britton & Rose | La Habana, Cuba. | |
| Leptocereus weingartianus (E.Hartmann) Britton & Rose | Hispaniola | |
| Leptocereus wrightii León | Cuba | |