Cereus

Cereus is a genus of cactus. The name is derived from Greek (κηρός) and Latin words meaning "wax" or "torch". Genus Cereus was one of the first cactus genera to be described, and the circumscription varies depending on the authority.

The term cereus is also used to describe cacti with very elongated bodies, including columnar growth cacti and epiphytic cacti. In this sense, cereus genera include: Armatocereus, Arthrocereus, Cephalocereus, Echinocereus, Haageocereus, Hylocereus, Jasminocereus, Leptocereus, Micranthocereus, Pachycereus, Peniocereus, Oreocereus, Pilosocereus, Pygmaeocereus, Rauhocereus, Selenicereus, Stenocereus, Weberbauerocereus, and Trichocereus.