The glorious flower color of the hedgehog cactus rivals that of the desert sunset. Cacti can survive in arid regions because they have a combination of adaptive features — lack of leaves, succulent stems, spines in areoles, and shallow spreading root systems. The cactus spine which functions to discourage browsing, is developed from a leaf or a part of one. The areole in which the spines sit is a modified side shoot borne above the normal position of a leaf.
DISTRIBUTION: Many habitats in the Desert Province; 150-3500 m.
