‖n. [ L., a wax candle, fr. cera wax. So named from the resemblance of one species to the columnar shape of a wax candle. ] (Bot.) A genus of plants of the Cactus family. They are natives of America, from California to Chili. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ Although several species flower in the night, the name
n. A genus of tropical American cacti, usually tall and branching with stout spines and funnel-shaped flowers and globular or ovoid often edible fruit.