Cacti

• Cacti are succulents. they store water in their stems and become fleshy and swollen. the stem is often ribbed or fluted so that it can expand when water is available.
• The leaves in Cacti are reduced to spines. this reduces the surface area of the leaves. when the total leaf surface is reduced, less water is lost by transpiration.
• the cacti stem is green for photosynthesis
• The cacti roots are very widespread, in order to take advantage of any rain that does fal.