Cacti or biznagas are plants famous for growing in very arid and desert climates, however, their appearance adorned with thorns makes them more popular, some flora collectors even pay large amounts of money for a specimen of these species.
Although not all cacti have thorns, most of them have them instead of having leaves. The main objective of thorns is to defend these plants from predators, but their functions go further and some botanical theories claim that they are part of natural evolution.
Because cacti and biznagas develop in climates with high temperatures, experts from the Spanish Royal Botanical Garden institute assure that the thorns are actually leaves that have been modified to lose the minimum amount of heat.
Everything responds to an evolutionary mechanism in which cacti cannot afford to have leaves that cause them to lose liquids, therefore they breathe through their stems characterized by thick tissues.
On the other hand, the Universidad Veracruzana postulates other functions of the spines, for example, some cacti that are completely covered with white spines protect themselves from the sun, since the white color serves as a light reflector.
At other times, when there is enough water to allow a cactus to carry out its photosynthesis process, its stem expands to absorb water, allowing the spines to separate slightly and allowing light to reach the tissues. If, on the other hand, there is a shortage of water, the plant becomes dehydrated and its body contracts, which causes the thorns to move closer together to cover the cactus and provide shade.
There are also cases in which the spines of some cacti are capable of concentrating small droplets of water from fog or humid winds. After capturing this water, they drain it into the body of the cactus until it reaches the root, even in species that grow in the desert coastal plains of Chile and, it is usually the only source of water for several years for these species.
However, it must be remembered that not all cactus specimens have thorns, some have a type of wool or hair that covers them or have a naked body, so their survival mechanisms are different.
Unfortunately, currently more than 30% of cactus and biznagas species are at risk of extinction, according to the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of (CONABIO).
The causes of its extinction are the loss of its habitat and overexploitation. In addition, most cacti have a complicated reproductive process. CONABIO estimates that only one seed in 13 million can establish and reproduce.
Participating in the conservation of cacti and biznagas is a priority, because these plants are one of the main representatives of biodiversity in Mexico, which is home to 669 specimens. Protecting our resources is preserving our identity.
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