Sonoran Desert
- The most interesting region in the world -
Adaptations
The Prickly pear has to deal with the harsh conditions of its environment and has adapted well to combat these conditions and survive. These Prickly pear adaptations include the ability to store water within its pads for use when drought hits, the ability to open its stomata at night to collect carbon instead of day when it would lose water, and the ability to perform a form of asexual reproduction lessening use of resources. Plus, the Prickly pear has spines of course giving the plant significant protection.
Uses
The Prickly pear is well known as a food source. Its fruit is eaten and also made into candies, jelly, and vodka. Other than a food source, Prickly pear is used in folk medicine and research, used to harvest red dye from a scale insect, used in earthen plaster, and water treatment.
Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia chlorotica)
Description
The Prickly pear cactus is identifiable with its rounded pear like cladodes also known as pads with spines that are either large, smooth, and fixed or hairlike spines called glochids. It grows to height of around 5 ft and a width of 15 ft and bears orange, yellow, or reddish flowers. Also, it bears fruit that is cylindrical-shaped and red to purplish in color.
Life Cycle
Reproduction of the Prickly pear cactus can de done sexualy or asexualy. In sexual reproduction it starts with its flowers that bloom during the April-June timeframe then pollen that is produced in the anther is transferred to the stigma, producing a pollen tube that grows down to the ovary and releases sperm allowing the ovule to become a seed. When it comes to asexual reproduction of the Prickly pear, its called vegetative reproduction and it is done by part of the mature parent plant detaching and developing into a new plant. Also, the Prickly pear is known to live well over 20 years.
Region
The Prickly pear cactus which is most commonly found in rocky areas, is found all throughout the Sonoran Desert.
