Lepismium cruciforme is a saxicolous or epiphytic cactus semierect or creeping over rocks. The stems segments of which freely rooting, appressed, somewhat branching and turning magenta in summer given adequate light. Plants produce diminutive white or pink flowers followed by beadlike, purple-pink fruit. Lepismium cruciforme is variable and a number of varieties have been proposed.Branches (stems segments): Foliaceous (leaf-like), extremely variable, sometimes 3, 4, or even 5-angled, or flat, linear-lanceolate, to 50 cm long, 2 cm broad, more or less winged, narrowed at base, more or less purplish, especially on edges. Margins distinctly notched.Areoles: Subtended by miniscule scales,sunken in the crenation in the margins, with tufts of white wool.Spines: Absent or nearly so.Flowers: Borne laterally 2 to 5 or even more from an areole. White, cream, yellow, pink, or rarely magenta, reddish-brown on the uotside, 10 to 13 mm Long. Perianth-segments united at base into a short tube. Filaments slender, adnate to flower-tube. Stigma-lobes 4 or 5.Fruit: Globular, juicy, purplish to red, smooth, turgid, translucent, 6 to 12 mm in diameter.Seeds: Light brown to black, 1.8 mm lon
