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Prickles on a blackberry branch. In plant morphology, thorns, spines, and prickles, and in general spinose structures (sometimes called spinose teeth or spinose apical processes), are hard, rigid extensions or modifications of leaves, roots, stems, or buds with sharp, stiff ends, and generally serve the same function: physically defending plants against herbivory.
Many species of cactus have long, sharp spines, like this Opuntia. A cactus (pl.: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) [3] is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (/ kækˈteɪsi.iː, - ˌaɪ /), [a] a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. [4] The word cactus derives, through Latin ...
Spines emerge with leaves, and like leaves grow for a short period before stopping growth and hardening. Spines do not regenerate so weathering and abrasion can wear away all but the youngest spines from older specimens - leaving smooth trunks and branches. To some extent, branches are a characteristic of the genus. Some caution is warranted in ...
Thistle. Cirsium arizonicum, showing arachnoid cobwebbiness on stems and leaves, with ants attending aphids that might be taking advantage of the shelter. Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterized by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles can also occur all over the ...
Saguaro spines. The spines on a saguaro are extremely sharp and can grow to 7 cm (3 in) long, [7] and up to 1 mm (1 ⁄ 32 in) per day. When held up to the light or bisected, alternating light and dark bands transverse to the long axis of spines are visible. These bands have been correlated to daily growth.
Opuntia, commonly called the prickly pear cactus, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, many known for their flavorful fruit and showy flowers. [1] Cacti are well-adapted to aridity; however, they are still vulnerable to alterations in precipitation and temperature driven by climate change. [2]
Ferocactus cylindraceus, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada, USA. Ferocactus echidne. Ferocactus is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, mostly with large spines and small flowers. There are about 30 species included in the genus. They are found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Description. The erect multi-branched shrub typically grows to a height of around 0.5 to 1 metre (2 to 3 ft). [3] The rigid terete branchlets are green and spiny with yellow rib striations. The usually will have few or no leaves with sometimes remaining at the base of the plant. The leaves have a curved or hooked shape with a prominent mid-vein.