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Taxa

Cactaceae

Plant Families

Cactaceae is the cactus family of flowering plants, comprising over a thousand species across roughly 130 genera, native almost entirely to the Americas with one exception found in Africa and Sri Lanka. The family includes the genus Carnegiea, whose single species, the saguaro, is among the largest cacti, and members are characterized by succulent stems, spines derived from leaves, and adaptations for extreme drought tolerance.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Family 1
Scientific Name
Cactaceae 1
Member Species/Taxa Count
1750 1
Geographic Distribution
native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north, with the exception of Rhipsalis baccifera, which is also found in Africa and Sri Lanka 1
Defining Characteristics
almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy organs adapted to store water 1
Member Count Band
Over 1000 Species 3
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Most species of cacti have lost true leaves, retaining only spines, which are highly modified leaves 1
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 2
Connections

Parent Taxon Of

Acanthocereus tetragonus, Species
Source Acanthocereus tetragonus (Wikipedia)
Ariocarpus scaphirostris, Species
Source Ariocarpus scaphirostris (Wikipedia)
Arthrocereus glaziovii, Species
Source Arthrocereus glaziovii (Wikipedia)
Arthrocereus rondonianus, Species
Source Arthrocereus rondonianus (Wikidata)
Astrophytum capricorne, Species
Source Astrophytum capricorne (Wikidata)
Astrophytum ornatum, Species
Source Astrophytum ornatum (Wikipedia)
Aztekium ritteri, Species
Source Aztekium ritteri (Wikidata)
Cereus jamacaru, Species
Source Cereus jamacaru (Wikidata)
Cylindropuntia bigelovii, Species
Source Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Wikipedia)
Echinocactus horizonthalonius, Species
Source Echinocactus horizonthalonius (Wikidata)
Echinocereus engelmannii, Species
Source Echinocereus engelmannii (Wikidata)
Echinopsis oxygona, Species
Source Echinopsis oxygona (Wikidata)
Ferocactus pilosus, Species
Source Ferocactus pilosus (Wikidata)
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii, Species
Source Gymnocalycium mihanovichii (Wikidata)
Gymnocalycium saglionis, Species
Source Gymnocalycium saglionis (Wikidata)
Hatiora salicornoides, Species
Source Hatiora salicornoides (Wikidata)
Lava cactus, Species
Source Lava cactus (Wikidata)
Mammillaria albicoma, Species
Source Mammillaria albicoma (Wikipedia)
Parodia leninghausii, Species
Source Parodia leninghausii (Wikidata)
Pelecyphora sneedii, Species
Source Pelecyphora sneedii (Wikipedia)
Peniocereus greggii, Species
Source Peniocereus greggii (Wikipedia)
Prickly Pear, Species
Source Wikidata: Opuntia
Queen of the Night, Species
Source Wikidata: Queen of the Night
Rhipsalis baccifera, Species
Source Rhipsalis baccifera (Wikipedia)
Rhipsalis pilocarpa, Species
Source Rhipsalis pilocarpa (Wikidata)
Saguaro Cactus, Species
Source Wikidata: Saguaro Cactus
Selenicereus grandiflorus, Species
Source Wikidata: Queen of the Night
Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus, Species
Source Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus (Wikipedia)
Turbinicarpus valdezianus, Species
Source Turbinicarpus valdezianus (Wikipedia)
Uebelmannia pectinifera, Species
Source Uebelmannia pectinifera (Wikidata)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Africa

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

North America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Patagonia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Cactus - Wikipedia
  • Introduction, sentence 1 (rank clause)
    is a member of the plant family Cactaceae
  • Introduction, sentence 1 (name clause)
    is a member of the plant family Cactaceae
  • Introduction, sentence 1 (count clause)
    comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species
  • Introduction, distribution sentence
    native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north, with the exception of Rhipsalis baccifera, which is also found in Africa and Sri Lanka
  • Introduction, adaptation sentence
    almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy organs adapted to store water
  • Introduction, spines sentence
    Most species of cacti have lost true leaves, retaining only spines, which are highly modified leaves
  • In Group: Other Eudicot Families, Lead
    A cactus (pl.: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species.
View the Source
2. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ14560, descriptionView the Source
3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Cactaceae
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
Quote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 1919
View the Source
Wikidata: Cactaceae
Wikidata Q14560, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikidata: Saguaro Cactus
Parent Taxon Of: Saguaro Cactus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Opuntia
Parent Taxon Of: Prickly Pear, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Queen of the Night
Wikidata
  • Parent Taxon Of: Queen of the Night, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
  • Parent Taxon Of: Selenicereus grandiflorus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
Hatiora salicornoides (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Hatiora salicornoides, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Lava cactus (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Lava cactus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Echinopsis oxygona (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Echinopsis oxygona, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Echinocereus engelmannii (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Echinocereus engelmannii, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Astrophytum capricorne (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Astrophytum capricorne, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Arthrocereus rondonianus (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Arthrocereus rondonianus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Aztekium ritteri (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Aztekium ritteri, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Uebelmannia pectinifera (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Uebelmannia pectinifera, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Gymnocalycium mihanovichii, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Cereus jamacaru (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Cereus jamacaru, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Rhipsalis pilocarpa (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Rhipsalis pilocarpa, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Parodia leninghausii (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Parodia leninghausii, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Ferocactus pilosus (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Ferocactus pilosus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Gymnocalycium saglionis (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Gymnocalycium saglionis, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Echinocactus horizonthalonius (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Echinocactus horizonthalonius, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus, Lead
is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae.
View the Source
Arthrocereus glaziovii (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Arthrocereus glaziovii, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Arthrocereus glaziovii, Lead
is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae
View the Source
Acanthocereus tetragonus (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Acanthocereus tetragonus, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Acanthocereus tetragonus, Lead
Acanthocereus tetragonus is a species of cactus
View the Source
Astrophytum ornatum (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Astrophytum ornatum, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Astrophytum ornatum, Lead
is a flowering plant of the family Cactaceae
View the Source
Peniocereus greggii (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Peniocereus greggii, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Peniocereus greggii, Lead
Peniocereus greggii is a cactus species native to southern United States and Mexico.
View the Source
Pelecyphora sneedii (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Pelecyphora sneedii, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Pelecyphora sneedii, Lead
Pelecyphora sneedii (syn. Coryphantha sneedii) is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Sneed's pincushion cactus and carpet foxtail cactus.
View the Source
Mammillaria albicoma (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Mammillaria albicoma, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Mammillaria albicoma, Lead
Mammillaria albicoma is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae.
View the Source
Rhipsalis baccifera (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Rhipsalis baccifera, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Rhipsalis baccifera, Lead
is an epiphytic cactus
View the Source
Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Cylindropuntia bigelovii, Lead, family
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Cylindropuntia bigelovii, Lead, family
is a cholla cactus species
View the Source
Turbinicarpus valdezianus (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Turbinicarpus valdezianus, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Turbinicarpus valdezianus, Lead
Turbinicarpus valdezianus is a plant species in the Cactaceae family.
View the Source
Ariocarpus scaphirostris (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Ariocarpus scaphirostris, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Ariocarpus scaphirostris, Lead
Ariocarpus scaphirostris is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae.
View the Source
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