Cactus
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
Cacti are easily recognized because of their distinct shapes. Most people associate cacti with the desert, but they are commonly used as household decorations. Some are even used as crop plants. Cacti can live from 25 to 300 years, can grow from 1 cm in diameter to almost 20 m in height, but all share several key features that seperate them from the rest of the plant world.[1]
These extroardinary plants are found almost exclusively in the Americas. Cacti on other continents are there because of human distribution. Cacti introduced in other continents, however, usually turned out to be a major detriment to the land. In fact, 40,000 sq km of farmland in Australia has been rendered unusable because of the introduction of cacti.[2]
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Anatomy
A cactus can take form in one of three shapes: as a tree-like plant, a shrub, or ground cover. The bodies of the cactus are used mostly for storage, because the cactus is acclimated to the desert, where water is extremely scarce. It needs a lot of storage room to store extra water for the long periods between rain. A lot of cacti also have a spherical shape fro the highest volume with the least surface area to prevent over-heating and allow for more storage.[3]
The needles on the outside of the cactus are actually its leaves, which are called spines. The cactus has also adapted these to use as protection against animals seeking water from it. Unlike other plants, the stem of the cactus is the only place where photosynthesis takes place. Almost all cacti are succulent plants, but that does not mean that all succulent plants are cacti. Other succulent plants do not carry out photosynthesis exclusively in the stems.[4]
Reproduction
Cacti reproduce using flowers that are pollinated by a variety of creatures, including moths, bats, hummingbirds, and bees. Other cacti produce seeds that are distributed by animals through their digestive tracts. Cacti can also reproduces asexually through regeneration. Because they can retain large amounts of water, a piece of cactus that is broken off can grow roots and start a new plant. [5]
Ecology
Cacti live mostly in arid deserts that receive very little rainfall each year, so they have become very well adapted to it. Their bodies can retain large amounts of water, and they have needles to protect themselves from water-seeking predators. These needles also prevent some of the loss of water through transpiration.[6]
Uses
Cacti are used for many different things, including gardening and food. They are a common household decoration and are especially popular in warmer climate houses. Some cacti are used outside as materials for fences, which are common in very warm and arid climates. Still other cacti can be used for food. The prickly pear cactus produces fruit that is edible and can provide mucilage which can clean water by removing heavy metals and suspended solids. [7] Other cacti have psychoactive properties that are used by native Americans living in the Southwest. These are a few of the wide variety of uses for cacti. [8]
Gallery
 Prickly Pear |
 Barrel Cactus |
 Sea Urchin Cactus |
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Related References
- Cactaceae USDA
- Cactus Wikipedia
- Cacti Anatomy Biology of Cacti
- Cacti Uses Cactus Museum
See Also
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