Opuntia Humifusa: the Devil's Tongue - Essay Example

Opuntia humifusa al Affiliation Introduction Opuntia humifusa, popularly known as Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus is a unique species of the cactus family. It is widely distributed in many regions of the world, unlike other cacti. Although its natural habitat in America is Ontario, Canada Louisiana and Florida, it is also common in the sandy areas of Virginia though infrequent (Anderson, Barthlott, & Brown, 2001). Similar to many other desert plants, Opuntia humifosa is edible to many desert animals but also very dangerous to handle. The danger arises from the prickly leafs. The plant is a low-growing and reclining plant that absorbs enough water during the rainy season and stores it in the succulent pads for use in the dry seasons. These fleshy pads are the stems of the plant and are ovoid shaped with sharp needle-like spines along the surface that are biologically the modified leaves to help the plant reduce the loss of water into the atmosphere. These pads have clusters of thorn-like leaves that are very sharp. This is an adaptation to ride away animals that feed on the fleshy pads. The prickly pads earn the plant the name ‘devil’s tongue’ (Hahm, Park, & Son, 2011). The plant grows on the dry rocky area of limestone glades in open fields. The natural seed distribution method is through the small mammals and birds that eat the Opuntia fruit and excrete the seeds in different locations. Natural History Opuntia humifusa is not a native to most of the American States. The plant was brought into the habitat through displaced small mammals from Southern Canada. The succulent pads of the plant and the melon-like fruits are a great attraction to many mammals. They eat the fruits and then disperse the seeds to other areas where favorable conditions of moisture and warmth lead to germination and growth. Further, the pads, once buried in the ground and with favorable climatic condition tends to germinate and propagate themselves (Anderson et al., 2001). Opuntia humifosa has a cultivation history in South Korea where it was used as a traditional natural coloring agent as well as a remedy to stimulate the immune system. It is one of the largest genera in Cactaceae, with almost 250 species. It exhibits the widest distribution of any genus in family Cactaceae, occurring from Canada to Argentina and in habitats ranging from tropical to subtropical dry forests, moderate deserts, and even temperate forests. Opuntia also has been introduced throughout the world for use as a foodstuff for humans and animals and as ornamentals. While apparently strange in temperate regions, this fascinating cactus still conveys with it with it some of the habits of its desert dwelling relatives. The plant still prefers sunny and sandy conditions and flowers from June to July. After flowering, the pads give out a bright red, succulent edible fruits that are attractive to mammals that feed on the fruits (Kim et al., 2013). Historically, Opuntia humifusa was introduced into the northern part of Ohio by Native Americans. The Native American used the plant for medicinal purposes and also for food, eating the melon-tasting succulent fruits. However, how the plants came to Ohio is not well known. Some old accounts describe the movement as a result of the geologic separation of the original planet blocks during the formation of the continents. This is because the Northern America and Canada were originally fused with Northern Africa and parts of Europe where the species is native and growing naturally. Ecological Importance The plant is a perennial clump-forming native cactus that usually grows 7-10 cm tall but can grow up to 30cm in favorable conditions. It has succulent stems that are 4-10 cm long and 4-6 cm wide. These stems give rise to spines that are 2-5cm long in clusters of 2-4 spines. The pads also give rise to the solitary flowers occurring at the edge and with successful pollination, a fruit is borne (Lee, Jung, & Lee, 2012). The Opuntia fruit is a fleshy berry that is around 4cm long. The plant is highly drought resistant owing to the reduced number of stomata on the fleshy stems and prickly leaves. This significantly reduces the loss of water and helps the plant to preserve its succulence over extended dry periods. The plant can significantly flourish under a great range of conditions and can be found at altitudes of around 1500 meters. In Virginia, Opuntia humifusa grows on various types of soil and a wide range of moisture content. However, the soil must be well drained with no water logging or extreme saturation. Its ability to resist both dry seasons and winter makes it a surviving plant in Virginia where the winter temperatures can go to as low as -12 degrees Celsius. During the dry seasons, the plant uses the stored water and food in the succulent stems to survive. On the other hand, during the winter season, the plant avoids freezing by significantly and rapidly reduce g the water content in the cells. The plant is also tolerant to poor soils, acidic and alkaline soils (Cha et al., 2013). Successional Status Opuntia humifusa is a shade-intolerant plant. Although it colonizes a wide range of harsh conditions and disturbed sites, it is quickly replaced by other species, especially in advanced succession. In Virginia, the species colonizes the coastal dunes where it starts by invade ng the beach grass before becoming established as the colonizing ground cover. With extensive and dense tree canopy, the plant tends to die out fast (Anderson et al., 2001). Importance of Livestock and Wildlife The roots and stems of Opuntia humifusa are succulent enough to be a great target for the draught and arid animals both livestock and wildlife. This is because they are watery and hence provides the animals with the much-needed water during the dry season. Similarly, the fruits and seeds are a great source of energy and proteins for lower mammals such as rodents. When cultivated, the cactus is widely used to feed the livestock. Farmers cut the succulent stems and fruits and remove the prickly leaflets before feeding them to the animals (Anderson et al., 2001). The Medicinal Value of Opuntia humifusa The pharmacological value of Opuntia humifusa has been extensively studied over time. Extracts from the plant are reportedly great stimulators of anti-inflammatory activity in the body. Besides, the plant’s extracts have anti-proliferative effects that help reduce the development of tumors in the body. It has also been found to have inhibitory effects on the absorption of fats from the gastrointestinal system as well as anti-oxidative abilities (Cha et al., 2013). This means, therefore, that the extracts are important components in anti-obesity and anti-cancer drugs. The Koreans have known this for ages and have reportedly used the cactus in their traditional medicines. In Virginia, scientific studies are undergoing to verify these reports and in effect strategize on the protection of the species for the benefit to health (Hahm et al., 2011). Opuntia humifusa is currently undergoing studies all over the world for its presumed medicinal importance. Among the purported medicinal use is the importance of the extracts from the plant in diabetes, cancer and obesity. Since these are among the most important health issues affecting the world today, the plant, therefore, becomes an important focus and a target for conservationists in the forestry and environmentalists’ agencies. This is the reason the plant has acquired an endangered status in Virginia and Massachusetts, vulnerable in New York and rare species in Pennsylvania. However, there is no federal legal status for the species (Anderson et al., 2001). The best thing about the plant is that it is easily established; simply placing the pads in desired locations. Besides, the plant is thought to have increased proliferation and growth when grazed on, and therefore conservation does not necessarily call for a reduction in use for fodder but rather a promotion to increase cultivation. References Anderson, E. F., Barthlott, W., & Brown, R. (2001). The Cactus Family. Portland Or Timber Press 776pillus col illus ISBN (Vol. 881924989, p. 776). Retrieved from http://kbd.kew.org/kbd/detailedresult.do?id=341888 Cha, M. N., Jun, H. I., Lee, W. J., Kim, M. J., Kim, M. K., & Kim, Y. S. (2013). Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Korean cactus (Opuntia humifusa) fruit. Food Science and Biotechnology, 22, 523–529. doi:10.1007/s10068-013-0110-0 Hahm, S. W., Park, J., & Son, Y. S. (2011). Opuntia humifusa stems lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Nutrition Research, 31, 479–487. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2011.05.002 Kim, J. H., Lee, H. J., Park, Y., Ra, K. S., Shin, K. S., Yu, K. W., & Suh, H. J. (2013). Mucilage removal from cactus cladodes (Opuntia humifusa Raf.) by enzymatic treatment to improve extraction efficiency and radical scavenging activity. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 51, 337–342. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2012.10.009 Lee, J.-A., Jung, B.-G., & Lee, B.-J. (2012). Inhibitory effects of Opuntia humifusa on 7, 12-dimethyl- benz[a]anthracene and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate induced two-stage skin carcinogenesis. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention : APJCP, 13, 4655–60. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23167397 Read More