Granata G, Sidoti A. Survey of diseases discovered on Opuntia ficus-indica in producer countries. Acta Hortic. 2002. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.581.24. The fifth treatment of the experiments was Portulaca oleraceae extracts. After collecting the plants, the above ground plant parts were chopped into small particles (< 2 cm) and ground in a blender. Herein, the mixture was filtered and resulting solution was dissolved in distilled water in a ratio of 1:1 (w/v). The liquid was then pasteurized at 70 °C for 45 m (Fig. 1i–l). Same procedure was used for the application and storage as in Aloe vera gel. The stems of most cacti have adaptations to allow them to conduct photosynthesis in the absence of leaves. This is discussed further below under Metabolism. Timpanaro G, Foti VT. The structural characteristics, economic performance and prospects for the Italian cactus pear industry. J Prof Assoc Cactus Devel. 2014;16:32–50.

Pintaća D, Četojević-Simin D, Berežnia S, Orčića D, Mimica-Dukića N, Lesjak M. Investigation of the chemical composition and biological activity of edible grapevine ( Vitis vinifera L.) leaf varieties. Food Chem. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.02.049. Cacti can be tree-like (arborescent), meaning they typically have a single more-or-less woody trunk topped by several to many branches. In the genera Leuenbergeria, Pereskia and Rhodocactus, the branches are covered with leaves, so the species of these genera may not be recognized as cacti. In most other cacti, the branches are more typically cactus-like, bare of leaves and bark and covered with spines, as in Pachycereus pringlei or the larger opuntias. Some cacti may become tree-sized but without branches, such as larger specimens of Echinocactus platyacanthus. Cacti may also be described as shrubby, with several stems coming from the ground or from branches very low down, such as in Stenocereus thurberi. [11] Columnar cacti Cactus fruits are safe for human consumption. They can be eaten fresh, cooked, or turned into a beverage, depending on the variety. Cacti with edible fruits are the 1) Opuntia, 2) Hylocereus, 3) Barrel cactus, 4) Saguaro cactus, 5) Peruvian apple cactus, and 6) Organ pipe cactus. Dang KTH, Singh Z, Swinny EE. Edible coatings influence fruit ripening, quality, and aroma biosynthesis in mango fruit. J Agric Food Chem. 2008. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf072208a.

Strawberry Cactus (Echinocereus enneacanthus)

In Mexican folk medicine, its pulp and juice are considered treatments for wounds and inflammation of the digestive and urinary tracts, [31] although there is no high-quality evidence for any clinical benefit of using opuntia for these purposes. The ripe fruits are not fit to be eaten raw because of their sour flavor. Instead, fresh fruits are usually included in stews or soups. The pulps are dried and used for pastries, while the easily dislodged seeds are added to granola. Fresh barrel cactus fruits are available from late summer to fall. 4- Saguaro Cactus (Carnegia Gigantea)

Additional to the prevention of weight loss, A. vera gel was also found to maintain fruit SSC. This is in agreement with the previous studies which reported that A. vera gel reduces the speed of the changes in soluble solids concentration at different fruits and vegetables, i.e. strawberry (Sogvar et al. 2016), tomato (Chrysargyris et al. 2016), fresh-cut papaya fruits (Kuwar et al. 2015) and fresh-cut oranges (Radi et al. 2017). Parven et al. ( 2020) reported that the coating of papaya fruits with A. vera gel provides favorable conditions for the prevention of fruit SSC. Rhipsalis baccifera is the exception; it is native to both the Americas and the Old World, where it is found in tropical Africa, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka. One theory is it was spread by being carried as seeds in the digestive tracts of migratory birds; the seeds of Rhipsalis are adapted for bird distribution. Old World populations are polyploid, and regarded as distinct subspecies, supporting the idea that the spread was not recent. [44] The alternative theory is the species initially crossed the Atlantic on European ships trading between South America and Africa, after which birds may have spread it more widely. [45] Naturalized species Perhaps you’ve seen some animals enjoying the watery and soft flesh of the cactus fruit, but are they edible for human consumption too? Apart from cochineal, the red dye betanin can be extracted from some Opuntia plants themselves. [22] For animal fodder [ edit ]

Cacti whose stems are even smaller may be described as globular (or globose). They consist of shorter, more ball-shaped stems than columnar cacti. Globular cacti may be solitary, such as Ferocactus latispinus, or their stems may form clusters that can create large mounds. All or some stems in a cluster may share a common root. [11] Other forms Hummingbirds are significant pollinators of cacti. Species showing the typical hummingbird-pollination syndrome have flowers with colors towards the red end of the spectrum, anthers and stamens that protrude from the flower, and a shape that is not radially symmetrical, with a lower lip that bends downwards; they produce large amounts of nectar with a relatively low sugar content. [56] Schlumbergera species, such as S. truncata, have flowers that correspond closely to this syndrome. [57] Other hummingbird-pollinated genera include Cleistocactus and Disocactus. [52] Cochineal is used primarily as a red food colouring and for cosmetics. [22] The cochineal dye was used by the Aztec and Maya peoples of Central and North America, and by the Inca in South America. Produced almost exclusively in Oaxaca, Mexico, by indigenous producers, cochineal became Mexico's second-most valued export after silver. [34] The dyestuff was consumed throughout Europe, and was so highly valued, its price was regularly quoted on the London and Amsterdam Commodity Exchanges. Spines, which are modified leaves, are present on even those cacti with true leaves, showing the evolution of spines preceded the loss of leaves. Although spines have a high surface area-to-volume ratio, at maturity they contain little or no water, being composed of fibers made up of dead cells. [14] Spines provide protection from herbivores and camouflage in some species, and assist in water conservation in several ways. They trap air near the surface of the cactus, creating a moister layer that reduces evaporation and transpiration. They can provide some shade, which lowers the temperature of the surface of the cactus, also reducing water loss. When sufficiently moist air is present, such as during fog or early morning mist, spines can condense moisture, which then drips onto the ground and is absorbed by the roots. [11] Stems Stem of young Cereus hildmannianus subsp. uruguayanus, showing ribbing and waxy coating