Synonyms

• Heterotypic
  • Cereaceae Spreng. ex A.P. de Candolle & Sprengel (transl. W. Jameson), Elem. Philos. Bot.: 142. 1821.
    • Type genus: Cereus Mill.
  • Opuntiaceae Desv. in Gérardin & Desvaux, Dict. Rais. Bot.: 52, 385. 1817.
    • Type genus: Opuntia Mill.
      

Note: For difficulties in circumscription see Discussion Page. As an example, there is the option to segregate Leuenbergeria from Pereskioideae into its own sub-family. Leuenbergerioideae. This is criticised by Hernández-Ledesma et al. (2015) and indeed they prefer to keep Leuenbergeria in synonymy with Pereskia, but segregation is accepted by Stevens et al. (2019) and Korotkova et al. (2021), therefore is accepted here.

Primary references

• Juss. 1789. Genera Plantarum 310.

Additional references

• Anceschi, G. & Magli, A. 2021. Cactusinhabitat Booklet South America 2013/2021: 1-134. .
• Franco, F.F., Amaral, D.T., Bonatelli, I.A., Romeiro-Brito, M., Telhe, M.C. & Moraes, E.M. 2022. Evolutionary genetics of cacti: research biases, advances and prospects. Genes 13(3): 452. DOI: 10.3390/genes13030452 Reference page. 
• Guerrero, P.C., Majure, L.C., Cornejo-Romero, A. & Hernández-Hernández, T. 2018. Phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary trends in the Cactus family. Journal of Heredity 110(1): 4-21. DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esy064 PDF from ResearchGate Reference page. 
• Hernández-Hernández, T., Hernández, H.M., De-Nova, J.A., Puente, R., Eguiarte, L.E. & Magallón, S. 2011. Phylogenetic relationships and evolution of growth form in Cactaceae (Caryophyllales, Eudicotyledoneae). American Journal of Botany 98: 44–61. DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1000129 Reference page. 
• Hernández-Ledesma, P., Berendsohn, W. G., Borsch, T., Mering, S. v., Akhani, H., Arias, S., Castañeda-Noa, I., Eggli, U., Eriksson, R., Flores-Olvera, H., Fuentes-Bazán, S., Kadereit, G., Klak, C., Korotkova, N., Nyffeler R., Ocampo G., Ochoterena, H., Oxelman, B., Rabeler, R. K., Sanchez, A., Schlumpberger, B. O. & Uotila, P. 2015. A taxonomic backbone for the global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Willdenowia 45(3): 281–383. DOI: 10.3372/wi.45.45301 Reference page. 
• Hunt, D. 2006. The new cactus lexicon. Milborne Port: dh Books
• Hunt, D. 2016. CITES Cactaceae Checklist, ed. 3: 1–174. PDF. Reference page. 
• Hunt, D. 2018. CITES Cactaceae Checklist, ed. 3: Supplement. PDF Reference page. 
• Korotkova, N., Borsch, T. & Arias, S., 2017. A phylogenetic framework for the Hylocereeae (Cactaceae) and implications for the circumscription of the genera. Phytotaxa 327(1): 1–46. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.327.1.1 ResearchGate Reference page. 
• Korotkova, N., Aquino, D., Arias, S., Eggli, U., Franck, A. , Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Guerrero, P.C., Hernández, H.M., Kohlbecker, A., Köhler, M., Luther, K., Majure, L.C., Müller, A., Metzing, D., Nyffeler, R., Sánchez, D., Schlumpberger, B. & Berendsohn, W.G. 2021. Cactaceae at Caryophyllales. org–a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. Willdenowia 51(2): 251–270. DOI: 10.3372/wi.51.51208 Reference page. 
• Lodé, J. 2015. Taxonomy of the Cactaceae. A New Classification of Cacti mainly based on Molecular Data and Explained. Vol. I. Acanthocalycium - Lymanbensonia. Editions Cactus-Adventures. Reference page. 
• Lodé, J. 2015. Taxonomy of the Cactaceae. A New Classification of Cacti mainly based on Molecular Data and Explained. Vol. II. Maihuenia - Yungasocereus. Editions Cactus-Adventures. Reference page. 
• Mayta, L. & Molinari-Novoa, E.A. 2015. L'intégration du genre Leuenbergeria Lodé dans sa propre sous-famille, Leuenbergerioideae Mayta & Mol. Nov., subfam. nov. Succulentopi 12: 6-7. PDF Reference page. 
• Nyffeler, R. & Eggli, U. 2010. Disintegrating Portulacaceae: A new familial classification of the suborder Portulacineae (Caryophyllales) based on molecular and morphological data. Taxon 59(1): 227–240. Abstract. Full text (PDF). Reference page. 
• Nyffeler, R. & Eggli, U. 2010. A farewell to dated ideas and concepts: molecular phylogenetics and a revised suprageneric classification of the family Cactaceae. Schumannia 6: 109–149. Full text (PDF). Reference page. 
• Reveal, J.L. 2012. An outline of a classification scheme for extant flowering plants. Phytoneuron 2012-37: 1–221. PDF Reference page. 
• Stevens, P.F. 2001 onwards. Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, July 2017 [and more or less continuously updated since]. Online. Reference page. 
• Thompson, J.B., Hernández-Hernández, T., Keeling, G., Vásquez-Cruz, M. & Priest, N.K. 2024. Identifying the multiple drivers of cactus diversification. Nature Communications 15(1): 7282. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51666-2 Reference page. 

Links

• Korotkova, N. et al. 2021. Cactaceae in Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org. A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Published online. Accessed: 2021 Nov. 2. Reference page. 
• Govaerts, R. et al. 2025. Cactaceae in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2025 May 6. Reference page. 
• International Plant Names Index. 2025. Cactaceae. Published online. Accessed: May 6 2025. Reference page.
• WFO Plant List 2025. Cactaceae. Published online. Accessed: 6 May 2025.
• Genera of Cactaceae. USDA GRIN Taxonomy for Plants.