Cactus Temporal range: 35 mya to present
Various cacti
Scientific classification
Unrecognized taxon (fix):	Streptophyta
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae Juss.
Subfamilies
Cactoideae Maihuenioideae Opuntioideae Pereskioideae

The flower of a Moonlight cactus

Many species of cactus have long, sharp spines

Like many other cactus fruits, the dragonfruit has many tiny seeds. The cactus species that produce it originally grew in Mexico.

Barrel cactus are often grown in gardens.

A cactus is a kind of a plant adapted to hot, dry climates Plants which live this kind of life-style are called xerophytes. Most are succulents, which store water.

Cacti are members of the plant family Cactaceae, in the order Caryophyllales. There are about 127 genera, with over 1750 known species. Almost all of them are native to the Americas, from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north. The species Rhipsalis baccifera also grows in Africa and Sri Lanka.

Many cacti live in dry places, such as deserts. Most cacti have sharp thorns (stickers) and thick skin. There are many shapes and sizes of cacti. Some are short and round; others are tall and thin. Many cactus flowers are big and beautiful. Some bloom at night and are pollinated by moths and bats. Some cactus fruits are brightly coloured and good to eat: many animals eat cactus fruits.