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Dry Area Plants
Candelabra Cactus: "Super - endemic" to the Galapagos, and named for its characteristic shape, the candelabra cactus can also be readily distinguished by its tube-like pad segments. |
It is readily observed on the cliffs at Academy Bay, outside the town of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.
Lava Cactus: On islands that are still dominated by lava formations, such as James (at Sullivan Bay) and Fernandina at Punta Espinosa the also super-endemic lava cactus is one of the few visible plants; it is considered a "pioneer" or colonizer plant. With bright yellow-tipped coloring and microphone shapes, the clumped formations are visually appealing and dramatically stand out from the barren fields of lava.
Prickly Pear Cactus: Also called Opuntia, the prickly pear is an outstanding example of adaptive radiation. In all, six endemic species and several endemic varieties of Opuntia shrubs and trees have evolved. Some of the trees are impressively tall, a survival necessity from the days that tortoises roamed the islands in great numbers, seeking food and water from the fleshy stems.
The trunks are now well-protected with spines and a heavy bark. The flat pads of the Opuntia shrubs are also covered with clusters of spines; this armor notwithstanding, the prickly pear pads are a major food and water source of land iguanas as well as tortoises.
Cutleaf Daisy
There's no mistaking that this beautiful plant is a daisy. A super-endemic daisy at that. That's a rather unscientific way of saying that the cutleaf daisy is endemic at the genus level. There are seven endemic plant genera in the Galapagos; this one is called Lecocarpus. Your only opportunity to see it will be at Punta Cormorant, Floreana Island. |
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