The genus was first described in 1968 by
Franz Buxbaum. The specific epithet
dybowskii honors the botanist and agricultural scientist
Jean Dybowski. Its only species was first described in 1909 as
Cereus dybowskii by Robert Roland-Gosselin. Further
nomenclature synonym are
Cephalocereus dybowskii (Rol.-Goss.) Britton & Rose (1920),
Austrocephalocereus dybowskii (Rol.-Goss.) Backeb. (1951),
Austrocephalocereus dyhowskii (Rol.-Goss.) Backeb. (1951),
Gerocephalus dybowskii (Rol.-Goss.) F.Ritter (1968) and
Coleocephalocereus dybowskii (Rol.-Goss.) F.H.Brandt (1981). The genus was formerly placed in subtribe
Trichocereinae, but a 2023
molecular phylogenetic study found that it belonged to subtribe
Cereinae. ==Distribution and habitat==