The term “cactus” first first in use in 1600 to designate the Spanish artichoke, a thorny plant native to Sicily (known as a cardoon or artichoke thistle). The artichoke is thorny, yet it does not resemble the cactus that Americans often picture.
In order to characterize the emerald-green, leafless plants of the American desert, the term “cactus” first appeared in English in 1769. The saguaro cactus of the Southwest is the type of cactus that most Americans are familiar with.
Cacti is the correct plural spelling because cactus has a Latin root that originates from the word cacti. More than one cactus can be referred to as a cactus if you want to adhere to the rules.
Cactus also unavoidably underwent English treatment, which frequently pluralizes words by adding s or es, when it was incorporated into English. Cactuses also gained acceptance as a plural form as a result.
For the sake of this debate, we would normally distinguish between cactuses and cacti as appropriate plural forms for conversation and other less formal writing. You can also use it for advice if your writing is impacted by an instructor, a departmental preference, or a specific style guide.
Do you pronounce cacti or cactuses?
Cacti is the proper plural form of cactus in Latin. Additionally, English speakers enjoy this as well. The true English plural, however, is cactuses.
What is the name of a single cactus?
The word’s singular form is cactus. The plural version of the word in Latin is cacti. a lone cactus. two capres. However, the word “cactuses” is frequently used in American English.
What makes a cactus a cacti?
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae[a], which has about 127 genera and about 1750 recognized species. Cactaceae belongs to the order Caryophyllales.
[4] The Latin word “cactus” is derived from the Ancient Greek word “kktos,” which Theophrastus first used to refer to a spiky plant whose identify is currently unknown. [5] There are many different sizes and shapes of cacti. Most cactus reside in settings that experience at least some drought, despite the fact that some species can tolerate fairly humid situations. Many of them can even be found in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, where they exist in extremely dry circumstances. Cacti have developed a variety of adaptations to conserve water as a result. As an illustration, nearly all cacti are succulents, which means that their swollen, fleshy sections are designed to store water. Unlike many other succulents, most cacti only have a stem where this crucial process occurs. The majority of cacti species no longer have actual leaves; instead, they only have spines, which are heavily modified leaves. Spines help limit water loss by slowing air movement around the cactus and offering some shade, in addition to protecting it from herbivores. Photosynthesis is performed by cacti’s expanded stems in the lack of real leaves. Except for Rhipsalis baccifera, which also grows in Africa and Sri Lanka, all of the Americas, from Patagonia in the south to sections of western Canada in the north, are home to cacti.
Areoles, a type of greatly shortened branch, are specialized structures that create cactus spines. Cacti can be identified by their areoles. Areoles also produce multipetalled, tubular blooms in addition to spines. Because many cacti have extended dormant periods and short growing seasons, they may respond fast to any rainfall. This is made possible by their large but shallow root systems, which swiftly absorb any water that reaches the ground surface. Because cactus stems are frequently ribbed or fluted, they can easily stretch and contract to quickly absorb water after rain and then hold onto it during protracted droughts. The majority of cacti use a unique process called “crassulacean acid metabolism” (CAM) as part of photosynthesis, similar to other succulent plants. Unlike photosynthesis, which occurs during the day, transpiration—during which carbon dioxide enters the plant and water escapes—occurs at night. The plant converts the carbon dioxide it absorbs into malic acid and stores it there until daybreak, when it is solely used for photosynthesis. The cooler, more humid nighttime hours are when transpiration occurs, which greatly reduces water loss.
The globe-shaped stems of many smaller cacti combine the maximum volume of water storage with the smallest surface area of transpiration loss. The largest[b] free-standing cactus is Pachycereus pringlei, which reaches a maximum height of 19.2 m (63 ft)[7], while Blossfeldia liliputiana has the lowest diameter at maturity, measuring just around 1 cm (0.4 in). [8] During a downpour, a mature saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is believed to be capable of soaking up 200 US gallons (760 l; 170 imp gal) of water. [9] Only a few species look significantly like the rest of the family. Plants belonging to the genera Leuenbergeria, Rhodocactus, and Pereskia resemble nearby trees and bushes, at least on the surface. They have enduring leaves and, as they age, stems covered with bark. Despite their appearance, they are recognized as cacti by their areoles and have numerous water-saving adaptations. Leuenbergeria is thought to be very closely related to the original species from which all cacti descended. Other cacti develop as forest climbers and epiphytes in tropical areas (plants that grow on trees). Their stems often have fewer or even no spines and are flattened, almost leaf-like in appearance, like the well-known Christmas or Thanksgiving cactus (in the genus Schlumbergera).
Many types of cacti are produced as beautiful plants, while others are raised for fodder or forage, and yet others are utilized as food (particularly their fruit). An bug that lives on some cactus produces cochineal.
Many succulent plants, both in the Old and New Worlds, have spiky stems, including some members of the Euphorbiaceae (euphorbias), which is why they are frequently mistakenly called “cactus.”
[Reference needed]
What is octopus’ plural form?
Octopuses
A noun is typically pluralized as an English word rather than in its native form when it enters the English language. Although some people might find the word “octopuses” odd, this is the preferred plural. Debating octopuses when they are solitary creatures is also odd.
What is castus’ plural form?
The plural form of cactus in English is likewise quite appropriate. Both are listed as acceptable forms in dictionaries, allowing the user to choose whatever they prefer.
How many fish are there?
Fish and fishes are acceptable terms to use when referring to different types or kinds of fish. In our pond, there are many different kinds of fish. The colors of these three tropical fish are distinctive.
What is the name of a group of cacti?
Cactus plural: The same plural noun is sometimes spelled as “cactuses.” Bryan Garner (2016) claims that both are recognized variations. While cacti are preferred in print sources and scientific applications, cactuses are more prevalent in speech and everyday usage.
The preference for cacti in literature is demonstrated in the graph below, which compares cactuses with cacti in English books since 1800.
Cacti can be changed to cactuses in the aforementioned statements without altering their meaning.
It is still less frequent than cacti, however the singular cactus can be used as a plural noun.
Greek was the root of the term “cactus,” which Latin transmitted to English. Latin frequently uses the -i for the -us plural, and considering that Latin is frequently included into plant scientific names, it is not surprising that cacti became widely used in English.
What is the cactus-specific irregular plural?
The confusion about the plural of cactus stems from the fact that its original plural form (cacti) is Latin in origin and that native English speakers gravitate toward cactuses, which follows the accepted rule for constructing plurals.
Cacti and cactuses are both permitted. Notably, the plural form cactus is more widespread. (Check out Google’s Ngram Viewer to see the proof.)
What is the name for a group of plants?
I decided to write a brief post while I was working on my upcoming one about plant science.
There aren’t many non-generic collective nouns for plants that are lyrical, amusing, or rich.
There are also riparian areas, stands, copses, fields, woodlands, paddies, bouquets, bunches, beds, and cornucopias. However, these are very standardized.
There are a smack of jellyfish, a crash of rhinoceros, and parliaments of owls in the animal kingdom (note: not all collective animal nouns are good—a blessing of unicorns? I disagree with that.
I’ll list a handful here, and readers are welcome to contribute their own via comments or social media.
This is just a game for fun. However, I’d be curious to learn what ideas readers have.
In a comment, Ray Eckhart said:
Additional Eckhart:
a majestic oak forest A dense yew forest A progression of birches A maple tree canvas Untidy alders A land of accolades (I believe this is a real one) a boxwood-lined room the hydrangea brothel
Terry Wheeler wrote in the comments:
A scattering of dandelion Peonies in a droop Aspens trembling a soaring redwood forest A sunflower-themed Valentine A whirlwind of cottongrass
From Twitter, too:
I’m going with a bindweed tangle. Folks, you heard it here first. https://t.co/yg7qANHHtT