Disocactus anguliger aka Fish Bone Cactus

Disocactus anguliger also goes by the name fishbone cactus. It is part of the cactus family. Its native range spans southwestern and central Mexico, reaching Hidalgo. Useful Tropical Plants lists four more states in its range. These are Guerrero, Jalisco, Nayarit and Oaxaca. It grows in moist mountain forests and oak woods. Records place it at 3,609–5,906 feet [1,100–1,800 metres]. Kew places it in a seasonally dry tropical biome. This means a tropical zone with a dry season.

This small shrub is an evergreen succulent with leaf-like side stems. It keeps its green growth all year. Kew calls its growth form a succulent subshrub. Useful Tropical Plants gives a height of about 3.3 feet [1 metre]. Its flat stems have the shape of a lance. They can reach 3.3 feet [1 metre] in length. They are about 0.13–0.26 feet [0.04–0.08 metres] wide. These broad, fleshy parts are stems, not true leaves.

In the wild, it grows on other plants as an epiphyte. Its needs for growth reflect this forest home. It needs high air humidity, or moist air. It also needs shade through the hottest hours. The growing medium should have a pH below six. Its care thus differs from a plain dry-site cactus routine. The account gives no plan for when to water. It sets no winter temperature limit. It gives no bloom season or details of the flowers. The account says growing new plants from vegetative growth is easy. This means using plant parts to make new plants. It also lists seed as a way to grow more.

Gardeners grow it for its looks; local people gather it for food. People can eat the raw fruit, which tastes like gooseberries. This food use covers the fruit, not the stems. Useful Tropical Plants reports no known hazards or uses as medicine. That does not establish separate safety findings for pets. The uses listed here are for looks and edible fruit.

Useful Tropical Plants says it grows widely, with plenty in some places. It cites a 2017 IUCN assessment of Least Concern. Fire affects its wild home. So does clearing forests for cattle pasture. The account does not judge these threats significant overall. These threats concern wild homes, not recorded garden pests. The evidence names no pests or diseases for this species.