Through an intelligent set of adaptations that it has developed throughout its evolution. There are dozens of different species, with some “thorns” measuring almost 20 meters in height, while others do not exceed 1 centimeter. Cacti also have flowers, and some even bear edible fruit, such as the prickly pear, which, despite its name, comes from a typically Mexican variety. ***O:-)O
HEALTHY FAT
Some cactus even went further in tricks to survive. The friendly cacti in the shape of a ball have arrived at the perfect design: they combine the highest storage capacity with the smallest exposed surface, being able to store a lot of water and suffer as little perspiration as possible.
VEGETABLE CAMEL
See how cacti can go months without rain
GREEN HEDGEHOG
In general, the leaves are the area where a plant loses the most water. As they cannot afford this luxury, instead of leaves, cacti have modified structures, thorns. The spiny skin also helps protect against animals looking for a drink of water in the pulp of the cactus.
PAU-DE-Tallow
The stem of many species is coated with a special type of wax. This wax ensures that the plant’s transpiration water does not spread too much and evaporate – on the contrary, the droplets flow into the soil, where they are reabsorbed by the roots.
NATURAL CANTILLE
Cortex cells in the stem are fitted with flexible walls. In times of rain, they dilate to store a lot of water; when the drought rolls around, they wither, donating water so that other important cells, such as those that carry out photosynthesis, can survive
OVERALL
It rains so rarely in the desert that when it does, the cacti need to get as much water as possible, as quickly as possible, before it evaporates. For this, they rely on a tangle of roots that are close to the surface and extend over a very large area.