Cactus

...A general term for succulents with various thorns native to the New World, with the exception of a very few species, and which bloom beautiful flowers (illustration). The Chinese names are Senninsho and Haouju. The Cactaceae family is a large group consisting of about 110 genera and 2000 species, and is broadly divided into three subfamilies. The subfamily Cactaceae consists of two genera and 25 species. They are shrubs with large leaves, and although they are not what you would expect from a cactus, they have sparse thorns. They grow mainly in the tropical rainforests of South America, and lose their leaves in the dry season. The representative species is the Peireshia aculeata (Plum.) Mill. (illustration). ...

*Some of the terminology that mentions "Cactus" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…ごく少数種をのぞき，新大陸原産の多様なとげをもつ多肉植物で，美花を咲かせるサボテン科植物の総称（イラスト）。漢名は仙人掌，覇王樹。サボテン科は約110属2000種からなる大群で，3亜科に大別される。コノハサボテン亜科は2属25種。大きな葉がある低木で，サボテンのイメージとは遠いが，まばらなとげがある。おもに南アメリカの熱帯雨林に生え，乾季には落葉する。代表種はモクキリンPeireshia aculeata (Plum.) Mill.（イラスト）。…

※「Cactus」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報