What is another name for a cactus?
Alternative Titles: Cactaceae, cacti, cactuses. Cactus, (family Cactaceae), plural cacti or cactuses, flowering plant family (order Caryophyllales with more than 2,000 species and about 175 genera.
What is the highest classification of a cactus?
The highest category is the kingdom while the lowest classification is the species. As you move from the top (kingdom) to the bottom (species) of the classification tree, the characteristics of the organism become more specific and defined. So, what is the classification of cactus?
Is a cactus a perennial or annual?
Cacti are succulent perennial plants. Cacti generally have thick herbaceous or woody chlorophyll-containing stems. Cacti can be distinguished from other succulent plants by the presence of areoles, small cushionlike structures with trichomes (plant hairs) and, in almost all species, spines or barbed bristles (glochids).
How many species of cactus are there?
Cactus is a flowering plant with over 150 genera and approximately 2,000 species. Classification of cactus, just like any other living organism, depends on its physical traits.
What is the genus of a cactus?
Integrated Taxonomic Information System - ReportOrderCaryophyllalesFamilyCactaceae Juss. – cactus, cactiDirect Children:GenusAcanthocereus (Engelm. ex A. Berger) Britton & Rose – triangle cactusGenusAcharagma (N.P. Taylor) Glass135 more rows
What are other names for cactus?
Cactus Synonyms - WordHippo Thesaurus....What is another word for cactus?cactoidopuntiapeyoteprickly pearsucculent
What does a cactus stand for?
Just like flowers, and other plants, cactus has its symbolic meaning which in no way is negative. Cactus Plants symbolize endurance, persistence, & toughness. Gifting someone a cactus plant means telling them they are resilient fighters who do not give up in tough situations.
What's the opposite of a cactus?
There are no categorical antonyms for this word. However, one could loosely refer to unrelated plants as antonyms, especially non-succulent and non-spine bearing plants, e.g., oak, mint, tulip, etc.
Where are cactus found in the US?
In the Southwest part of the United States, cacti are abundant. In fact, Arizona’s Saguaro National Park is named for the “ King of the Cactus ,” or the Saguaro cactus. This towering plant can grow over 60 feet tall and has several smaller branches coming off one giant column.
What are the different types of cacti?
However, it is important to take a note of some of the more generic names that you might come across these are likely to include: Ladyfinger cactus. Old lady cactus.
What is the lowest temperature a cactus can survive?
For a majority of cacti, the lowest temperature they are able to survive at is freezing (~32 degrees Fahrenheit). In a general sense, though, the lowest temperature a cactus will be able to survive at depends greatly upon the species. However, there are some cacti that can truly survive in sub-zero habitats.
What is the moon cactus?
Moon cactus. There are other types, such as prickly pear cacti, that refer to a family of cacti rather than an individual plant. But for the purposes of this list it makes sense to list individual plants and cacti species.
What color are Easter cactus blooms?
The blooms on the Easter Cactus can be red, white, peach, orange, and even lavender. Unlike other cacti, this plant like a little humidity. If you live in a dry area, be sure to add a little moisture to your home for this cactus. You can do this by putting the plant on a water-filled saucer.
How big does a Christmas cactus grow?
This houseplant grows to between six and 12 inches tall and six to 18 inches wide. The exact size of your Christmas Cactus may vary depending on the size of the pot. Like most cacti, this plant is drought tolerant and doesn’t need much maintenance. The plant itself costs between five and 15 dollars.
How many limbs does a cactus have?
When many people picture a cactus, they see that iconic barrel cactus with two limbs. While those are a common breed of cactus, the cactus family of plants is much more varied than that.
What is a cacti?
The cacti are curious, often thorny (spiny), succulent-stemmed plants constituting the family Cactaceae, characteristic of and well adapted to dry regions of the Western Hemisphere.
What is the root system of a cactus?
The root systems are generally thin, fibrous, and shallow, ranging widely to absorb superficial moisture. Rose cactus ( Pereskia grandifolia ). Cacti vary greatly in size and general appearance, from buttonlike peyote ( Lophophora) and low clumps of prickly pear ( Opuntia) and hedgehog cactus ( Echinocereus) to the upright columns of barrel cacti ...
What is a chin cactus?
chin cactus. Chin cactus ( Gymnocalycium mihanovichii ). Alfieri—NHPA/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The internal structure of cacti stems conforms to the pattern of broad-leaved angiosperms; a cambium layer of dividing cells, located between the woody inner tissues and those near the outside of the stem, is present.
Why are spines removed from cactus?
In times of drought, the spines are removed from cacti such as mandacaru ( Cereus jamacaru) to use as fodder for livestock. Peyote, from Lophophora williamsii, has been used ceremonially since pre-Columbian times for its hallucinogenic properties, and many cactus species are of local importance in traditional medicine.
What are the areoles on a cactus?
Areoles are modified branches, from which flowers, more branches, and leaves (when present) may grow. fishhook cactus.
What is the function of angiosperm in cacti?
In cacti, spines are wholly transformed leaves that protect the plant from herbivores, radiate heat from the stem during the day, and collect and drip condensed water vapour during the cooler night.
Where do cacti live?
Cacti are native through most of the length of North and South America, from British Columbia and Alberta southward; the southernmost limit of their range extends far into Chile and Argentina. Mexico has the greatest number and variety of species.
What is a cactus plant?
The cactus plant family ( Cactaceae) consists of a number of unique succulent-type plants that thrive in dry conditions. There are thousands of different types of cacti, with all of them being native to the Americas. Although cacti are classified as succulents, they differ from many types of succulents.
What color are cactus flowers?
Although short-lived, cactus flowers can be stunning. Cactus flowers can be various colors from deep pinks to beautiful shades of red. Yellow, orange, white, and burgundy flowers are also common in various types of cactus.
How tall do prickly pear cactus get?
For example, the Beavertail cactus ( Opuntia basilaris) can grow into a medium-sized shrub-like plant that is about 15” (40 cm) tall and produces pink flowers.
How big does a powder puff cactus get?
The spherical cactus will grow to between 3” and 5” (7.5 – 12 cm) high and about the same in diameter.
How many hours of darkness does a Christmas cactus need?
To ensure the Christmas cactus flowers, it needs to be in cool conditions with little water and get 12 – 14 hours of darkness every day.
What is an old lady cactus?
Old Lady Cactus. The old lady is a ball-shaped type of cactus that can be grown indoors. The Old Lady cactus (name: Mammillaria hahniana) is a large, spherical type of cactus that is covered in spikes and fine spines. This type of cactus looks somewhat like a large pincushion.
How tall does a bunny ear cactus grow?
This type of cactus houseplant looks comical with its green pads that resemble rabbit’s ears. The indoor cactus can grow around 15” to 23” (40 – 60 cm) tall. However, as with most cacti, the Bunny Ears cactus is slow-growing and a small type of plant will take a few years to reach this height.
What is the highest category of a cactus?
The highest category is the kingdom while the lowest classification is the species. As you move from the top (kingdom) to the bottom (species) of the classification tree, the characteristics of the organism become more specific and defined. So, what is the classification of cactus?
Where did the word "cactus" come from?
The word cactus is derived from the Greek word Kaktos which means a spiny thistle, possibly the cardoon. The Greek term was modified to cactus in 1753. Although cactus is a common term, there is some dispute over the word’s proper plural form.
How many different cacti are there?
There are over 2000 different cacti species that fall into two main categories, namely Opuntias and Cactoids. In this article, we cover everything you need to know about the classification of the cactus plant.
What cactus has edible fruit?
Other cacti species have also been useful to human beings. For instance, the giant Saguaro Cactus bears edible fruit while the Peyote produces a juice with a hallucinogenic effect mostly used in Native American religious ceremonies.
What are the characteristics of a cactus?
Here are the main features of a cactus plant that determine its classification: 1. Stem. Cacti plants have succulent stems that store water. The stem can be smooth or covered with small bumps known as tubercles.
What is the kingdom of cacti?
Cacti belong to Kingdom Plantae, Phylum Tracheophyta, Division Anthophyta, and Class Magnoliopsida. These succulents belong to Subclass Caryophyllidae, Order Caryophyllales and Family Cactaceae. There are approximately 150 genera in the entire Cactaceae family, but they are generally divided into three subgroups: Opunitieae, Pereskieae, ...
What is the name of the area on the stem of a cactus?
Areoles . Areoles are fur-like areas on the stem of the cactus plant from which flowers and spines grow. Areoles may be oval, circular, separate, or entirely separate but still connected to each other. The multicellular hairs of the areoles give them a brownish or yellowish woolly/fur-like appearance.
