The difference between epiphyllum and dragon fruit flower

Epiphyllum and dragon fruit flowers not only look alike and difficult to identify, but also do have a "family relationship." according to Chinese Flora, they all belong to the cactus family. So what's the difference between epiphyllum and dragon fruit flower?

The dragon fruit is a succulent shrub of the cactus family, which belongs to the climbing fleshy shrub. Epiphyllum is an epiphytic succulent shrub of the genus Cactus.

It is impossible to tell the difference between epiphyllum and dragon fruit flowers with the naked eye. If you just look at the flowers, it is estimated that Sun WuKong's golden eyes can not tell the difference between epiphyllum and dragon fruit flowers, but we can look at branches! The measuring ruler is "branched numerous, extended, triangular or angled", while epiphyllum "branched numerous, leafy laterally flattened".

There is an obvious difference between dragon fruit and epiphyllum. The whole plant of dragon fruit is fleshy stems and leaves, blossoming and bearing fruit on the stems and leaves, and there is a thorn on the outside of its white flowers. The leaves of the whole plant of epiphyllum are relatively slender, and the flowers have a layer of red skin outside, with a certain fragrance, can not bear fruit, and there is no thorn on the body.

The dragon fruit has thorns on its stem, and the flower usually opens at 9 o'clock in the evening until the next morning, and its flower is very large, there is a layer of green skin outside; epiphyllum has no thorns, the flower usually blossoms at night, and withered after 3 hours. Its flowers are very white and have a certain fragrance, and there is a layer of red skin outside.