Rufen's Cactus
Rufen's Cactus is a small species of cactus from the Region of Sarra. They grow in the hot, dry deserts in large clumps.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Rufen's Cacti have a soft, circular shape with seventeen separate ribs. They have small sharp spines that end in a black tip covering the body. The cacti grow other cacti connecting to the original body, forming something similar to Earth's pear cactus. On top of the plant grows a bright yellow flower which unravels revealing an orange ovary.
Genetics and Reproduction
The cacti produce new seeds in the ovary of the yellow flowers that grow on top of them. These seeds are transferred into the surroundings via birds, wind and rain. Each cactus can produce millions of seeds in its lifetime but only a few survive, becoming a fully grown cactus.
Growth Rate & Stages
During the first few months of the cactus, it grows the small spines. After that, new bodies of cactus start growing, connected to the original cactus. The flowers start being produced after 6 months of the cactus' life cycle, then the seeds can be produced to create new cacti.
Ecology and Habitats
Rufen's cacti enjoy a hot, dry, arid environment, where competition for resources is very little. Their long roots stretch miles underground in search of pockets of water. They have incredible access to photosynthesis, living in deserts. More cacti can be found living near oases.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Rufen's Cacti are often infested with parasites, very commonly desert hawk beetle larva. They lay their eggs in the flowers of the cacti, and when they hatch they bury into the cactus itself, eating the insides and then breaking the cactus when they grow.
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