See text Schlumbergera truncata, the false Christmas cactus,[1] is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae.

[2] It is endemic to a small area of the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist forests.

The stems (cladodes) are composed of strongly flattened segments, which have two or three "teeth" of varying shapes along their edges and at the ends.

[3] Special structures characteristic of cacti, called "areoles", occur between two teeth at the end of segments.

The areoles, which have brown wool and bristles up to 3 mm (0.1 in) long, are where the flower buds appear and additional segments grow.

[3] Due to its unique flowering schedule, these structures are significant for differentiating between different Cactaceae species as they affect characteristics like nectar production and function.

[7] Schlumbergera truncata occurs only in a small area of the coastal mountains of south-east Brazil, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, located in the southernmost part of the tropics.

Because of their altitude and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the coastal mountains have high humidity – warm moist air is forced upwards into higher, colder locations where it condenses.

[8] The native status of S. truncata has become confused because European cultivars were deliberately introduced into some areas, including the Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos, by the Brazilian Agricultural Department, to compensate for over-collecting of wild plants.

Humidity and moisture have significant affects on viability of pollen, thus shaping climate distribution for outdoor growth.