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Ancient Greek word κάκτος
- The word cactus derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek word κάκτος (káktos), a name originally used by Theophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is now not certain. [ 5 ]
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The 1905 Vienna botanical congress rejected the name Cactus and instead declared Mammillaria was the type genus of the family Cactaceae. It did, however, conserve the name Cactaceae, leading to the unusual situation in which the family Cactaceae no longer contains the genus after which it was named.
Sep 14, 2023 · The name cactus itself has its roots in ancient Greek and Latin, reflecting the plant's unique characteristics and its journey through different civilizations and cultures. Join me as we delve into the origins of the name cactus and discover the captivating story behind these remarkable succulents. Characteristics.
- Cactaceae
- Plantae
- Cactaceae
- Caryophyllales
Oct 29, 2022 · cactus. (n.) c. 1600, in the classical sense, "cardoon, artichoke," from Latin cactus, from Greek kaktos, name of a type of prickly plant of Sicily (the Spanish artichoke), a "foreign word of unknown origin" [Beekes]. In reference to the green, leafless, spiked American plants from 1769.
- Overview
- Physical characteristics
- Uses
cactus, (family Cactaceae), flowering plant family (order Caryophyllales) with nearly 2,000 species and 139 genera. Cacti are native through most of the length of North and South America, from British Columbia and Alberta southward; the southernmost limit of their range extends far into Chile and Argentina. Mexico has the greatest number and variet...
Cacti are succulent perennial plants. Cacti generally have thick herbaceous or woody chlorophyll-containing stems. Cacti can be distinguished from other succulent plants by the presence of areoles, small cushionlike structures with trichomes (plant hairs) and, in almost all species, spines or barbed bristles (glochids). Areoles are modified branches, from which flowers, more branches, and leaves (when present) may grow.
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Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous
In most species, leaves are absent, greatly reduced, or modified as spines, minimizing the amount of surface area from which water can be lost, and the stem has taken over the photosynthetic functions of the plant. Only the tropical genera Pereskia and Pereskopsis, both vines, have conventional-looking functional leaves, while the leaves of the Andean Maihuenia are rounded, not flattened. The root systems are generally thin, fibrous, and shallow, ranging widely to absorb superficial moisture.
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 (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.
The primary method of reproduction is by seeds. Flowers, often large and colourful, are usually solitary. All genera have a floral tube, often with many petal-like structures, and other less colourful and almost leaflike structures; the tube grows above a one-chambered ovary. A style topped by many pollen-receptive stigmas also arises from the top of the ovary. The fruit is usually a berry and contains many seeds. Soon after pollination, which may be effected by wind, birds, insects, or bats, the entire floral tube detaches from the top of the ovary to leave a prominent scar.
Cacti are widely cultivated as ornamentals. In addition, various species, notably prickly pears and chollas (Opuntia and Cylindopuntia, respectively), are cultivated as food. In Central and South America, species of Opuntia, Cereus, and others are used as living fences, and wood from columnar cacti is used as fuel in some desert regions. In times o...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Mar 6, 2024 · The word "cactus" is derived from the Ancient Greek word "kaktos," which means prickly or thorny plant. But how exactly did this word come to be used to describe these fascinating plants? The word "cactus" was first used by Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, in the mid-18th century.
Mar 3, 2024 · The word "cactus" is derived from the Latin word "cactos," which is a transliteration of the Greek word "kaktos." The term "cactus" was first used by the Greek philosopher and botanist, Theophrastus, around 300 BC to describe a spiky plant he encountered in the Mediterranean region.
Mar 11, 2024 · The name cactus (official name Cactaceae) is derived from the Greek word 'kaktos', which means 'spiky plant'.
