Giant 200-year-old cactus toppled by heavy rain in US
A giant Saguaro cactus that had lived for some 200 years was toppled by heavy rain in the southwestern US state of Arizona.
Ecology
Aug 30, 2022
0
8
News tagged with cactus
Sweat-collecting patch inspired by cactus spines
A sweat-collecting patch has been developed using the principle based on how the cactus spines attract water.
Materials Science
Nov 4, 2021
0
10
The quest for sustainable leather alternatives
Throughout history, leather has been a popular material for clothes and many other goods. However, the tanning process and use of livestock mean that it has a large environmental footprint, leading consumers and manufacturers ...
Materials Science
Mar 10, 2021
0
12
Study shows cactus pear as drought-tolerant crop for sustainable fuel and food
Could cactus pear become a major crop like soybeans and corn in the near future, and help provide a biofuel source, as well as a sustainable food and forage crop? According to a recently published study, researchers from ...
Other
Mar 5, 2021
1
155
Cacti and other iconic desert plants threatened by solar development
With their tough skins, pointy armor and legendary stamina, cacti are made to defend themselves from whatever nature throws at them.
Ecology
Jul 20, 2020
3
167
How gene flow between species influences the evolution of Darwin's finches
Despite the traditional view that species do not exchange genes by hybridisation, recent studies show that gene flow between closely related species is more common than previously thought. A team of scientists from Uppsala ...
Evolution
May 4, 2020
0
259
Indigenous knowledge could reveal ways to weather climate change on islands
Some islands have such low elevation, that mere inches of sea-level rise will flood them, but higher, larger islands will also be affected by changes in climate and an understanding of ancient practices in times of climate ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 6, 2020
0
224
Native foods are key to preserving rodent gut bacteria in captivity
As Rodolfo Martinez-Mota well knows, from the cactus spines in his clothes and skin, white-throated woodrats love to eat prickly pear cactus (from the Opuntia genus). They like the cactus so much that their gut microorganism ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 9, 2019
0
94
Phoenix Zoo flying high over 3-week-old baby pygmy owls
Conservation specialists at the Phoenix Zoo say they are flying high over the arrival of four big-eyed baby pygmy owls.
Plants & Animals
Jun 7, 2019
0
5
Scientists study puncture performance of cactus spines
Beware the jumping cholla, Cylindropuntia fulgida. This shrubby, branching cactus will—if provoked by touching—anchor its splayed spines in the flesh of the offender. The barbed spines grip so tightly that a segment of ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 20, 2018
1
161
Cactus
A cactus (plural: cacti, cactuses or cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines. Many species are used for ornamental plants, and some are also grown for fodder, forage, fruits, cochineal, and other uses.
Cacti come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The tallest is Pachycereus pringlei, with a maximum recorded height of 19.2 m, and the smallest is Blossfeldia liliputiana, only about 1 cm in diameter at maturity. Cactus flowers are large, and like the spines arise from distinctive features called areoles.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA
