To injure animals that may be predators of the cactus, e.g. try to eat it! If an animal goes to eat the cactus, it will spike them and they will not eat it again. Also it absorbs and stores moisture from the air for the cactus, so it can be utilized in hot conditions.
No, a cactus does not have a thorn. A cactus has spines.
they have the spines to protect them from your face
The pointy things on a cactus are called spines.
Spines: Spines help the cactus in several ways. The most obvious use of the spines is for protection against foragers. The cactus basically states "How much pain are you willing to indure to get a drink in this desert?"; Surprisingly, some animals do partake. In some cactus varieties the spines participate in water collection. Water from dew condenses on spines and, in some cactus species, downward-pointing spines help to direct rainwater to the roots of the plant. Spines help to reflect light away from the cactus stem theoretically lowering the stem temperature. Some spines also trap in a layer of air next to the cactus stem preventing loss of water via evaporative cooling.
There is no cactus capable of shooting its spines.
Leaves have evolved into spines on the cactus.
Yes, cactus spines are living parts of the cactus plant. They owe their existence to growth buds on the plant's surface. From the growth buds also come a cactus plant's flowers.
A cactus adapts to its environment by losing its spines to reduce water loss and protect itself from animals.
The 'spines' of a cactus attach directly to the stem of the plant.
All cactus have spines.
Remove embedded cactus spines by soaking the affected area. Apply products that encourage the spines to rise to the surface. In many cases, the spines may be removed by looking through a magnifying glass and using tweezers.
Yes