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Prickly Pear Cactus
There are 28 different species of cacti in the monument, ranging from the giant saguaro to the miniature pincushion. These cacti are all highly adapted to survive in the dry and unpredictable desert. They use spines for protection and shade, thick skin and pulp to preserve water, unique pathways of photosynthesis at night, and hidden under their skin are delicate to sturdy wooden frames holding them together.

Prickly pear cacti typically grow with flat, rounded platyclades that are armed with two kinds of spines; large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hairlike spines called glochids that easily penetrate skin and detach from the plant. Many types of prickly pears grow into dense, tangled structures.

Source: National Park Service
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File information
Filename:0514.jpg
Album name:admin / Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Keywords:Organ Pipe Cactus
Photographer:H. V. Noble
Date:1981
File Size:955 KB
Date added:Nov 18, 2009
Dimensions:1024 x 689 pixels
Displayed:653 times
URL:http://www.cyberbee.com/imagegallery/displayimage.php?pos=-321
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