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Cackling Cactus! Trivia Quiz

This quiz tests players' knowledge of the cactus and the use of the term in popular culture. Best of luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by Triviaballer. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Triviaballer

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
328,153

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
608

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Cacti are a plant in the order Caryophyllales, which consists of flowering plants. Which of the following is NOT in the order Caryophyllales along with cacti? Hint

Beets

Tulips

Rhubarb

Venus Flytrap

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Question 2 of 10

2. Fossil records of cacti date back to 35 million years. Within what geologic period of time did cacti originate? Hint

Silurian

Jurassic

Paleogene

Cretaceous

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which of the following statements regarding cacti is true? Hint

The smallest cactus species is only about one centimeter in diameter.

In North America there is greater species diversity in cacti the farther north one travels in the Americas.

Some species of cacti can live to 10,000 years.

The tallest species of cactus can grow up to 500 meters.

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Question 4 of 10

4. What part of a typical plant are the spines on a cactus? Hint

Petals

Leaves

Bulbs

Stems

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Question 5 of 10

5. All cacti species except one are native to the Americas. Which succulent cacti species naturally grows in the tropics of Africa and Asia? Hint

Mistletoe Cactus

Pronghorn Cactus

Barrel Cactus

Tube Cactus

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Question 6 of 10

6. In 1969, moviegoers were treated to a cactus on the big screen. What cactus film starred Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman and Goldie Hawn? Hint

Water the Cactus

Our Sweet Cactus

The Song of the Cactus

Cactus Flower

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Question 7 of 10

7. What cactus name is shared by the title character in the 1979 movie "The Villain", a Serbian rock band, and a stage name of wrestler Mick Foley? Hint

Cactus Bill

Cactus Jack

Cactus George

Cactus Dave

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Question 8 of 10

8. You can find a cactus in your World War II history. What island was code named Cactus by the Allies and included a Cactus Air Force from August 1942 to December 1942? Hint

Iwo Jima

Guadalcanal

Taiwan

Midway

9. Look--a cactus on the baseball diamond! Many Major League Baseball teams are members of the Cactus League during Spring Training. Which of these storied franchises is a member of the Cactus League? Hint

Chicago Cubs

New York Yankees

Boston Red Sox

St. Louis Cardinals

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Question 10 of 10

10. Unsurprisingly, you can also find a cactus on your television. In what nation is there a production company called Cactus TV that produces the shows "Richard and Judy" and "Saturday Kitchen"? Hint

United States

England

France

Australia

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Cacti are a plant in the order Caryophyllales, which consists of flowering plants. Which of the following is NOT in the order Caryophyllales along with cacti?

Answer: Tulips

Tulips are part of the order Liliales which takes its name from its most popular plant, the lily. The order Caryophyllales contains about 11,155 species, many of which having succulent stems or leaves.

2. Fossil records of cacti date back to 35 million years. Within what geologic period of time did cacti originate?

Answer: Paleogene

The Paleogene was a time period between approximately 65 and 23 million years ago. During the Paleogene, mammals evolved into larger and more complex creatures.

3. Which of the following statements regarding cacti is true?

Answer: The smallest cactus species is only about one centimeter in diameter.

Blossfeldia liliputana, the smallest species of cactus, is native to portions of the Andes in Argentina and Bolivia. The species is named after the fictional county of Lilliput from the story "Gulliver's Travels". Some species of cacti can live to be 300 years, and the tallest species can reach a height of 19 meters.

There are hundreds of cacti species in areas of Mexico while only a few dozen species can be found in areas like the Sonoran and Mojave deserts.

4. What part of a typical plant are the spines on a cactus?

Answer: Leaves

Likely the most distinguishing and well known features of a cactus are its prickly spines. The spines of a cactus arise from features known as areoles that appear as colored bumps out of which a cluster of spines will grow. The spines of a cactus can also be used to determine the age of a cactus. This field is known as acanthochronology.

5. All cacti species except one are native to the Americas. Which succulent cacti species naturally grows in the tropics of Africa and Asia?

Answer: Mistletoe Cactus

While the Mistletoe Cactus originated in South America and parts of Central America, it was likely introduced to the Old World (Africa, Europe and Asia) by migratory birds. Mistletoe Cactus is a very diverse species, having undergone polymorphism into several unique subspecies.

6. In 1969, moviegoers were treated to a cactus on the big screen. What cactus film starred Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman and Goldie Hawn?

Answer: Cactus Flower

The cactus in the film is representative of Bergman's character because it appears bitter and unwelcoming at the beginning of the movie and lively (it has bloomed) at the end of the movie. Goldie Hawn won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film.

7. What cactus name is shared by the title character in the 1979 movie "The Villain", a Serbian rock band, and a stage name of wrestler Mick Foley?

Answer: Cactus Jack

The band Cactus Jack gained attention for performing soundtracks for several Quentin Tarantino movies. Kirk Douglas starred in "The Villain", a parody of both western movies and the Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote cartoons. Other stage names of wrestler Mick Foley include Mankind and Dude Love.

8. You can find a cactus in your World War II history. What island was code named Cactus by the Allies and included a Cactus Air Force from August 1942 to December 1942?

Answer: Guadalcanal

The United States and New Zealand were the primary powers of the Cactus Air Force. Henderson Field, named after Lofton Henderson who was killed at the Battle of Midway earlier in 1942, was the primary operating area of the Cactus Air Force. After December 1942 the official name for the Cactus Air Force became Allied Air Forces in the Solomons.

Answer: Chicago Cubs

During Spring Training teams will play fellow members of their league to prepare for the regular season. Other than the Cubs, the following teams are a part of the Cactus League: Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.

10. Unsurprisingly, you can also find a cactus on your television. In what nation is there a production company called Cactus TV that produces the shows "Richard and Judy" and "Saturday Kitchen"?

Answer: England

Cactus TV was founded in 1994 by Simon Ross and his wife Amanda. Cactus TV is operated out of London and has over 20 shows to its credit.

Source: Author Triviaballer

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

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