Ferocactus cylindraceus Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus Eukaryote Nucleus in Cells Multicellular Cell Wall Autotroph Sessile Sexual Reproduction Kingdom Plantae (Phylum)Division Magnoliphyta

Ferocactus cylindraceus Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus Barrel cacti live in warm desert environments of North America.

Ferocactus cylindraceus Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus These cacti live in desert environment where there is plenty of sun so photosynthesis is easy– leaves have adapted to serve a different function. Most of the photosynthesis in these plants occurs in the enlarged stem or barrel itself. Spines are modified leaves that provide protection from predation.

Ferocactus cylindraceus Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus These cacti are adapted to gather and store water. Unlike most desert plants, cacti do not have deep root systems. Instead, they spread their roots out at the surface to catch rain water.

Ferocactus cylindraceus Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus Once they gather the water, they store it in their thick stem or trunk. Folds in the trunk allow these plants to expand and contract as water becomes more or less avaliable.

Ferocactus cylindraceus Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus Cacti are flowering plants (Division Magnoliphyta) There is a lot of variation in flower color for barrel cacti to attract many different pollinators..

Ferocactus cylindraceus Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus Once pollinated, barrel cacti grow large fleshy fruits that are then eaten by a variety of desert mammals.