Cactus
August 3rd 2006 02:04
Increase your 'Coolth' through Cactus
I like a good cactus. Simple as that.
The great thing about the inclusion of cactus into any indoor or outdoor area is that they are hardy little buggers. Like other succulents, they are well adapted to life with little precipitation, as their leaves form into spines, which allow less water to evaporate through transpiration than regular leaves, and this also forms a clever defense against natural predators seeking water which they store in enlaged stems, in order for photosynthesis to be carried out.
Interestingly enough, there is an etymological dispute as to the proper plural of the humble cactus. From the Greek loan into English, the proper usage would be "cactuses", however, as a word in Botanical Latin, "cactus" would follow standard rules of pluralisation and become "cacti". This is the usage most favoured today.
Cacti are predominantly native to North America, South America, and the West Indies, but as many would have seen there are a variety of species that are avaliable in Australia. They are especially good in Australia because of the predominantly dry weather in many areas. A number have been cultivated for indoor houseplants, and usage for ornament in gardens, and some even bear edible fruit (cactus fruit?!).
If you want to know a little more about the growing of cacti (or anything cacti-related for that matter, you would be hard pressed to find a better site than this.
I must thank wikipedia for some of the info.
I like a good cactus. Simple as that.
The great thing about the inclusion of cactus into any indoor or outdoor area is that they are hardy little buggers. Like other succulents, they are well adapted to life with little precipitation, as their leaves form into spines, which allow less water to evaporate through transpiration than regular leaves, and this also forms a clever defense against natural predators seeking water which they store in enlaged stems, in order for photosynthesis to be carried out.
Interestingly enough, there is an etymological dispute as to the proper plural of the humble cactus. From the Greek loan into English, the proper usage would be "cactuses", however, as a word in Botanical Latin, "cactus" would follow standard rules of pluralisation and become "cacti". This is the usage most favoured today.
Cacti are predominantly native to North America, South America, and the West Indies, but as many would have seen there are a variety of species that are avaliable in Australia. They are especially good in Australia because of the predominantly dry weather in many areas. A number have been cultivated for indoor houseplants, and usage for ornament in gardens, and some even bear edible fruit (cactus fruit?!).
If you want to know a little more about the growing of cacti (or anything cacti-related for that matter, you would be hard pressed to find a better site than this.
I must thank wikipedia for some of the info.
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