Cactus in the context of "Botanical garden"

Melocactus (melon cactus), also known as the Turk's head cactus, Turk's cap cactus, or Pope's head cactus, is a genus of cactus with about 30–40 species. They are native to the Caribbean, western Mexico through Central America to northern South America, with some species along the Andes down to southern Peru, and a concentration of species in northeastern Brazil.

The first species was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, as Cactus melocactus. When the genus was separated from Cactus, the pre-Linnaean name Melocactus was used. Acting on the principle of priority, in 1922 Nathaniel Britton and Joseph Rose resurrected Linnaeus' Cactus. However, the 1905 Vienna botanical congress had already rejected the name Cactus, so this name was not available, and Melocactus Link & Otto is the correct genus name.

Ferocactus is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, mostly with large spines and small flowers. There are about 30 species included in the genus. They are found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

An epiphyte (from Ancient Greek epi-, meaning 'upon', and phutón, meaning 'plant') is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant or plant-like organism such as kelp. It derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phorophytes. Epiphytes take part in nutrient cycles and add to both the diversity and biomass of the ecosystem in which they occur, like any other organism. In some cases, a rainforest tree's epiphytes may weigh several tonnes. Epiphytes differ from parasitic plants in that they grow on the host for physical support only, and do not draw nourishment from it. An organism that grows on another organism that is not a plant may be called an epibiont. Epiphytes are usually found in the temperate zone (e.g., many mosses, liverworts, lichens, and algae) or in the tropics (e.g., many ferns, cacti, orchids, and bromeliads). Epiphyte species make good houseplants due to their minimal water and soil requirements. Epiphytes provide a rich and diverse habitat for other organisms including animals, fungi, bacteria, and myxomycetes.

Epiphyte is one of the subdivisions of the Raunkiær system.The term epiphytic derives from Greek epi- 'upon' and phyton 'plant'. Epiphytic plants are sometimes called "air plants" because they do not root in soil. However, that term is inaccurate, as there are many aquatic species of algae that are epiphytes on other aquatic plants (seaweeds or aquatic angiosperms).

Mescaline, also known as mescalin or mezcalin, and in chemical terms 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine, is a naturally occurring psychedelic protoalkaloid of the substituted phenethylamine class, found in cacti like peyote (Lophophora williamsii) and San Pedro (certain species of the genus Echinopsis) and known for its serotonergic hallucinogenic effects.

Mescaline is typically taken orally and used recreationally, spiritually, and medically, with psychedelic effects occurring at doses from 100 to 1,000 mg, including microdosing below 75 mg, and it can be consumed in pure form or via mescaline-containing cacti. Mescaline induces a psychedelic experience characterized by vivid visual patterns, altered perception of time and self, synesthesia, and spiritual effects, with an onset of 0.5 to 0.9 hours and a duration that increases with dose, ranging from about 6 to 14 hours. Ketanserin blocks mescaline’s psychoactive effects, and while it's unclear if mescaline is metabolized by monoamine oxidase enzymes, preliminary evidence suggests harmala alkaloids may potentiate its effects.

Echinopsis pachanoi, synonyms including Trichocereus pachanoi and Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi, is a fast-growing columnar cactus found in the Andes at 2,000–3,000 m (6,600–9,800 ft) in altitude. It is one of a number of kinds of cacti known as San Pedro cactus. It is native to Ecuador, and Peru, but is also found in Bolivia, Colombia, central Chile, the Canary Islands, and mainland Spain, and is cultivated in other parts of the world. Uses for it include traditional medicine and traditional veterinary medicine, and it is widely grown as an ornamental cactus. It has been used for healing and religious divination in the Andes Mountains region for over 3,000 years.

A houseplant, also known as a pot plant, potted plant, or indoor plant, is an ornamental plant cultivated indoors for aesthetic or practical purposes. These plants are commonly found in homes, offices, and various indoor spaces, where they contribute to the ambiance by adding natural beauty and improving air quality. Most houseplants are tropical or semi-tropical species, as they thrive in the warm, humid conditions often found indoors. Many of them are epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants), succulents (which store water in their leaves), or cacti, which are particularly well-suited to indoor environments due to their low maintenance requirements.

Astrophytum myriostigma, the bishop's cap cactus, bishop's hat or bishop's miter cactus, is a species of cactus native to the highlands of northeastern and central Mexico.

Synonyms include Echinocactus myriostigma, Astrophytum prismaticum, A. columnare, A. tulense, and A. nuda.

Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It may be the mature vegetation type in a particular region and remain stable over time, or it may be a transitional community that occurs temporarily as the result of a disturbance, such as fire. A stable state may be maintained by regular natural disturbance such as fire or browsing.

Shrubland may be unsuitable for human habitation because of the danger of fire. The term was coined in 1903.

Euphorbiaceae (/juːˈfoʊrbiːˌeɪsiˌaɪ, -siːˌiː/), the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of the type genus of the family. Most spurges, such as Euphorbia paralias, are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are shrubs or trees, such as Hevea brasiliensis. Some, such as Euphorbia canariensis, are succulent and resemble cacti because of convergent evolution. This family has a cosmopolitan global distribution. The greatest diversity of species is in the tropics; however, the Euphorbiaceae also have many species in nontropical areas of all continents except Antarctica.