Cactus – A Sculpted Grace

Nature, the artist has been able to sculpt several lives into
miraculous marvels. With almost 1,500 species spread across
the globe, whether introduced or indigenous, the Cactaceae
family is no less than a miracle. Through evolution, cacti are
able to survive in extreme climates such as the Sonoran
Desert and the Patagonian region, where humanity itself has
struggled to build civilizations for decades.

Cacti are now in high demand for ornamental purposes. The

sheer diversity leaves botanists, taxonomists, and
systematists puzzled. A common misconception among
people regarding cacti is that any plant with spines is a
cactus. On diving deeper, one finds that the shapes and
features of each cactus represents their diversity—the
spineless Astrophytum, the perfectly geometrical Bilberry
Cactus, the whimsical looking Prickly Pear, the hairy Fishhook
Cactus, the gregarious Fairy Castle Cactus, the globular
Golden Barrel Cactus and the list continues.

These xerophytic plants have developed several adaptations

in order to survive the primitive conditions. In order to
protect themselves from being devoured by the browsing
herbivores, many cacti have developed spines. Their
parenchyma is covered with mucilage in order to minimise
water loss. The stems have become photosynthetic and also
serve the purpose of creating offsets (popularly referred to as
pups by floraphiles), which then become mature individuals
independently. As Charles Darwin noted in his time in the
Galapagos – "Survival of the Fittest", cacti, in order to thrive
and keep their lineage, have sculpted themselves into
graceful yet sturdy living creatures hence worthy of the title
– ‘A Sculpted Grace’

Lobivia ‘Sunrise’
- Trupti Shah (Vadodara, Gujarat)