Cactaceae
Genera : 30 - 200 Species: 1,000 - 2,000	Links to Genus Directory of Images: To Genus Directories: Cereus jamacru DW .jpg Echinocactus Echinocereus Ferocactus Mamillaria Melocactus Opuntia Pachycereus Pereskia Pilosocereus Rebutia minuscula FL .jpg Schlumbergera Selenicereus Weingartia Zygophyllum Other Images Cactus fence Mexico DW .jpg Cactus thorns .jpg Convergent succulents: cactus vs. Euphorb MC .jpg View of Sonoran Desert

Distribution: In most arid and semi-arid regions of the New World and naturalized in Australia, South Africa, the Mediterranean etc...

Economic Uses: Highly valued as ornamentals with Opuntia , or Prickly Pear a food source in the desert South West.

Defining Features of Interest: The family can become a 'pest' taxa without biological controls. It is a succulent that survives well in xeric environments.

Fossil Evidence:No known fossil record.

Defining Morphology

Floral Features : Actinomorphic and perfect (rarely unisexual). Flowers are large, showy and generally solitary, arising from the end of the areoles.

Fruit and Seed Features : Fruit a fleshy (or rarely dry) berry. Seeds are many and with a straight or curved embryo. Perisperm and endosperm can be present or absent. Placentation is parietal.

Vegetative Features : Habit is as perennial herbs or woody succulents with spines. Leaves absent, or arising from areoles (reduced branches).