The small shrub is indigenous to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America and is commonly found in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.The scientific name “Rhipsalis” is derived from the Ancient Greek word “wickerwork” which refers to the morphology of the plant. Belonging to the Plantae family, the genus was first described by Joseph Gaertner in 1788. The other half of the plant’s name “Cereuscula” means small candles or small torch, referring to the shape of the flowering plant.