By far the largest proportion of all cacti are found in the deserts and semi-deserts of North and South America. They are adapted to extremely arid habitats.
Some dwarf varieties, such as the Mistletoe cactus, which has a wide distribution in the rainforests of Madagascar, require higher humidity. These plants consist of slender, thornless shoots.
Distribution
South and Central America, Central Africa, Madagascar and Sri Lanka
Number of related species
around 50; several subspecies of the Mistletoe cactus in Madagascar
