Name and distribution
POWO accepts Pfeiffera boliviana (Britton) D.R.Hunt as a species native to Bolivia. Historical names include Hariota boliviana, Lepismium bolivianum and Rhipsalis boliviana. The 2010 revision identifies type material from La Paz department. [2-WWW] [Korotkova et al. 2010, POWO record 1176955-2, 12 October 2026, p. 165]
Stems, flowers and fruits
The flattened stems hang down, and spines are weak or absent. Ripe fruits were described as spherical, pale pink to whitish. Flowers may also arise near the ends of stems. The authors emphasized substantial variation in floral shape and colour and illustrated it by comparing two plants from a botanic garden collection. [Korotkova et al. 2010, pp. 160–161, Fig. 3E, p. 165, species key]
Variation and relationships
In the plastid analysis, P. boliviana was closely related to P. paranganiensis. However, the two accessions identified as P. boliviana occupied different positions within this group. The authors regarded this as a reason to examine population variation and species limits in greater detail. The result concerns those two sampled accessions. [Korotkova et al. 2010, pp. 160–161]
Synonyms and names in the literature
Bolivihanburya boliviana · Hariota boliviana · Lepismium bolivianum · Nothorhipsalis boliviana · Rhipsalis boliviana [2-WWW]