Inland Flora in Australia and its adaptation to the Aussie environment

There are quite a few types of inland flora in Australia. I will be describing the Cactus plant (which is an inland plant/flora) and its adaptation to the Aussie environment.

Definition of Cactus:
A cactus is a succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem which typically bears spines, lacks leaves, and has brilliantly coloured flowers. Cacti are native to arid regions of the New World and are cultivated elsewhere, especially as pot plants.

Where do Cacti grow; Where is their habitat?
Nothing can grow in a true desert – but many cacti do grow in very dry areas which might be known as deserts.

Cacti have a variety of adaptations that enables them to survive in the desert climate. 

The main adaptations are:- 
- The leaves are modified into spines and hence it prevents loss of water due to transpiration. 
- The stem is thick and fleshy and stores a lot of water. It becomes green and takes over the process of photosynthesis. 
- The body of the plant is covered by a thick waxy cuticle that prevents loss of water from the small pores of the plant. The roots of the plant are deep rooted in order to search for underground stored water. Also the plant can easily tolerate hypersaline conditions that is usually found in the deserts.
- The plant has spines all over it. This protects it from being eaten as the spines will penetrate and harm any mouth that tries to get hold of it.

A labelled sketch of what I have described above.

Did You Know?
- Cactus is the singular word for the plant, cacti is the plural form.
- Cacti are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in South America through to areas of western Canada. One species, Rhipsalis baccifera, is the exception, it is also found in tropical Africa, Madagascar and Sri Lanka. It is thought that droppings from migratory birds dispersed the Rhipsalis seed in these other lands.
- The cactus generally lives in dry places prone to drought, such as deserts.
- There are 1,500 to 1,800 species of cacti. Each species for the most part fall into one of two core cacti categories, these being opuntias or cactoids.
- Cacti come in all shapes and sizes from round and short through to thin and tall. The smallest grow just a few centimeters high and about 1 cm across. The tallest cactus can reach heights close to 20m  and up to 1 meter thick.
- Cacti show many adaptations to conserve water during long dry periods. An adaptation is a trait in a living organism that helps it to survive, populate and evolve.
- The spines (thorns, stickers) of a cactus are highly modified versions of plant leaves, there are very few cacti species with true plant leaves. These sharp spines and the thick tough skin of the stem help to protect the cactus from animals who would otherwise have easy access to the liquid inside.
- The cactus manages to collect its water using its quite large root system. Small thin roots grow near the surface of the soil and collect as much rainwater as quickly as possible during the few times it rains. Cacti can also have a single long thick root called a taproot which grows much deeper to reach underground water supplies when the top soil is dry.
- Cacti can gather and hold a lot of water in their stems. The water is not pure, clear water but is quite a thick viscous liquid. It is drinkable though and has been known to save many peoples lives in the desert.

This is a Cactus in a dry area.
Try to look for the visual characteristics I described earlier

This is a distribution map of cacti in Australia.