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epiphyllum
A genus of flowering cacti. Its flowers are famous for blooming at night instead of during the day. Some species, such as Epiphyllum oxypetalum, bloom for only one night and wilt in the morning. Nowadays there are also day-blooming hybrids.
Epiphyllum represents a layered flower with thin, long outer petals and thicker, shorter inner petals. Common epiphyllums are white, but hybrids can also be orange, pink, red and yellow. Common names include climbing cactus, Dutchman's pipe cactus, orchid cactus and queen of the night.
Its Japanese name 月下美人 (gekka-bijin) literally translates to "beauty under the moon". The one-night bloom of Epiphyllum oxypetalum is often used as a metaphor for the transience of beauty.
Examples
