What type of plant is a cactus?
A cactus (plural: cacti, cactuses, or cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales.
What are the different types of cacti?
Ball cactus ( Parodia magnifica ). Chin cactus ( Gymnocalycium mihanovichii ). 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.
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 phylum do cacti belong to?
Cacti plants belong to the Phylum Tracheophyta because they are vascular plants. These succulents belong to the Division Anthophyta because they are flowering plants. The other name for flowering plants is angiosperms. 3.
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 is another name of cactus?
In this page you can discover 38 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for cactus, like: desert flora, cacti, agave, plumeria, one of the Cactaceae (Latin), sempervivum, alocasia, opuntia, phormiums, agaves and anthurium.
Is my cactus a boy or girl?
In general, cacti are essentially genderless because they are monoecious, meaning that they have both female and male structures needed to reproduce on their own. If a cactus has fruit or flowers, it is almost always a cactus with both genders.
Is aloe vera a cactus?
Aloe vera may resemble a cactus, but taxonomically it's actually a member of the Asphodelaceae family, not the cactus family. While its botanical name is A. vera, various synonyms abound for this evergreen perennial: A.
What are different types of cactus?
Prickly pearSaguaroSchlumber...San Pedro cactusBarbary figGolden barrel cactusCactus/Lower classifications
What is the opposite of 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.
How do you say cactus in other languages?
In other languages cactusAmerican English: cactus /ˈkæktəs/Arabic: صَبَّارBrazilian Portuguese: cacto.Chinese: 仙人掌Croatian: kaktus.Czech: kaktus.Danish: kaktus.Dutch: cactus.More items...
What is the most common cactus?
The round type cactus: the most common is the Echinocactus grusonii. In addition to the columnar shape of the Cereus, the other typical cactus shape is round. Among the globular cacti the Echinocactus are very popular and representative, and in particular the Echinocactus grusonii.
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 are the different types of cacti?
Cacti vary greatly in size and general appearance, from buttonlike peyote ( Lophophora) and low clump s of prickly pear ( Opuntia) and hedgehog cactus ( Echinocereus) to the upright columns of barrel cacti ( Ferocactus and Echinocactus) and the imposing saguaro ( Carnegiea gigantea ). Most cacti grow in the ground, but several tropical species—including leaf cactus ( Epiphyllum ), Rhipsalis, and Schlumbergera —are epiphytes, growing on other plants; others live on hard substrates such as rocks, while yet others climb far up trees. Epiphytic species tend to have thin, almost leaflike flattened stems. The appearance of the plant varies also according to whether the stem surface is smooth or ornamented with protruding tubercles, ridges, or grooves.
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.
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 ...
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.
How do cacti reproduce?
Many others can reproduce by fragmentation, whereby segments broken from the main plant will readily root to form clonal individuals. Tissues of cacti are broadly compatible so that terminal portions of one species may be grafted on top of another.
What are the areoles on a cactus?
Areoles are modified branches, from which flowers, more branches, and leaves (when present) may grow. fishhook cactus.
How to identify a cactus?
Cactus identification is usually based on their shape, blooming habits, and spines or hairs. Cacti can have a spherical, columnar, cylindrical, or disc shape and typically have characteristic areoles (small bumps) where sharp or soft spines grow. All types of cactus flower, and you can tell the species depending on when it blooms.
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.
What cactus can I plant in the desert?
Some good choices of desert cactus types for growing outside are the Arizona Barrel Cactus, the Prickly Pear, and the Old Man Cactus.
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.
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 name of the old lady cactus?
The Old Lady cactus (name: Mammillaria hahniana) is a large, spherical type of cactus that is covered in spikes and fine spines.
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.
Why do cacti die?
The most common cause of cactus death is typically due to excessive amounts of moisture in the soil, often the result of overwatering. Because cacti often do not need as much water when compared to other flowering plants, it is easy to overestimate how much water they need. It is also possible for cacti to die from low temperatures, though some species are able to survive extremely low temperatures.
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.
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 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 the classification of cactus?
So, what is the classification of cactus? 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, and Cactoidea. There are over 2000 different cacti species that fall into two main categories, namely Opuntias and Cactoids.
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?
What Are the Main Elements of a cactus Plant Used in Its Classification?
Every living organism has its unique features that usually play a critical role in its classification. Here are the main features of a cactus plant that determine its classification:
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 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.
How deep do cactus roots grow?
Roots. Most cacti plants have fine roots that spread out around the base of the succulent to absorb water. Most of them grow shallow roots that are only a few inches below the ground surface. However, some species have a taproot that is much larger than the body to support the taller column-like cactus.
Why are cactus' ribs green?
The stems of cacti plants are mostly some shade of green because they contain chlorophyll, which is needed during photosynthesis.
