Jack Dykinga / Ocotillo cactus (Fouquieria splendens) in desert landscape strewn with rod lava rock, Cabeza Prieta Mountains in the distance, dawn, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, USA

Jack Dykinga / Teddy bear cholla cactus {Opuntia bigelovii} growing on volcanic lava flow, Pinacate and Gran Desierto Altar Biosphere Reserve, Sonoran desert, Mexico

Jack Dykinga / Mexico Teddy bear cholla cactus {Opuntia biegelovii} growing on volcanic lava flow, Pinacate and Gran Desierto Altar Biosphere Reserve, Sonoran desert, Mexico

Tui De Roy / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) endemic pioneering species growing only on young lava flows, Bartolome Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Ingo Arndt / Lava cactus {Brachycereus nesioticus} growing on volcanic lava field, Isabella Is, Galapagos

Jack Dykinga / Desert environ with Cholla cacti (Cylindropuntia) El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve. Pinacate lava flow, near the border wall along the US-Mexican border through the Sonoran Des...

Sylvain Cordier / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus), Bartolome Island, Galapagos Islands.

Franco Banfi / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, East Pacific Ocean

Pete Oxford / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus,endemic pioneering species growing only on young lava flows, Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Tui De Roy / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) in infrequent bloom, nocturnal flowers close at sunrise. Cape Hammnond, Fernandina Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) endemic pioneering plant, first to colonise new lava flow. Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) pioneering pllant first to colonise new lava flows, Galapagos Islands.

Tui De Roy / Lava field with Opuntia cacti, in arid zone after rainy season. Plazas Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, May 2012.

Cyril Ruoso / Opuntia (Opuntia) cactus in lava field of the Volcan de las Virgenes, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Indian Comb (Pachycereus pectenaboriginum) cacti in lava field of the Volcan de las Virgenes, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Indian Comb (Pachycereus pectenaboriginum) cacti in lava field of the Volcan de las Virgenes, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Pitaya Agria (Stenocereus gummosus) cactus in lava field of Volcan de las Virgenes, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Organ Pipe Cactus (Stenocereus thurberi) in lava field of Volcan de las Virgenes, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Kevin Schafer / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus), Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on the volcanic lava of Isabela Island, Galapagos Islands, Endemic

Pete Oxford / Candelabra cactus (Jasminocerus thouarsii) growing on volcanic lava, Isabela Island, Galapagos

Pete Oxford / Flightless Cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) and Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus), Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Flightless Cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) and Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus), Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Cactus growing in Pahoehoe lava, a smooth lava with patterns formed as result of magma containing a large amount of gas, Santiago Island, Galapagos Islands

Pete Oxford / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) grows in an arid zone of cool lava, ash and cinder, Santiago Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Cool pahoehoe lava and cactus, Santiago Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Juan Carlos Munoz / Lava cactus {Brachycereus nesioticus} growing in volcanic landscape, Bartolome Island, Galapagos, January

Juan Carlos Munoz / Lava cactus {Brachycereus nesioticus} Bartolome Island, Galapagos, January

Juan Carlos Munoz / Lava cactus {Brachycereus nesioticus} Bartolome Island, Galapagos, January

Tim Laman / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on lava, Bartolome / Bartholomew Island, Galapagos, June 1993

Tim Laman / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing in lava, Fernandina Island, Galapagos. June

Pete Oxford / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on the lava of Tower Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on the lava of Tower Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on the lava of Tower Island, Galapagos Islands

Pete Oxford / Candelabra cactus (Jasminocerus thouarsii) growing on Lava, Santa Cruz Is, Galapagos 2006

Pete Oxford / 'Las Grietas', Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Is, Galapagos. A natural lava fissure into which filters a mix of freshwater and sea water. 2006

Pete Oxford / Candelabra cactus (Jasminocerus thouarsii) growing on Lava, Santa Cruz Is, Galapagos 2006

Pete Oxford / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on the lava of Fernandina Is, Galapagos

Jack Dykinga / Ocotillos (Fouquieria splendens) established on the Pincata Lava flow, dawn, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Reserve, Arizona

Kerstin Hinze / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus), growing in lava field, coast of Fernandina, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Jack Dykinga / Teddy bear cholla cactus {Opuntia bigelovii} growing amongst grass on volcanic lava flow, Biosphere Reserve of Pinacate and Gran Desierto Altar, Sonora, Mexico

Jack Dykinga / Teddy bear cholla cactus {Opuntia bigelovii} and Organ pipe cactus {Stenocereus therberi} growing on volcanic lava flow, Biosphere Reserve of Pinacate and Gran Desierto Altar, Sonora, Mexico

Jack Dykinga / Teddy bear cholla (Opuntia bigelovii) in overgrown jagged lava flow, after rain, Biosphere Reserve of the Pinacate and Gran Desierto Altar, Mexico

Jack Dykinga / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) flowering with Teddy bear cholla (Opuntia bigelovii). Inactive lava flow in background, Biosphere Reserve of the Pinacate and Gran Desierto Altar, Mexico

Pete Oxford / Candelabra cactus {Jasminocerus thouarsii} on lava, Isabela Is, Galapagos

Winfried Wisniewski / Giant Candelabra Cactus (Jasminocereus thouarsii), Isabella Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Tui De Roy / Galapagos Mockingbird (Nesomimus parvulus) surveying its territory from atop a Giant Candelabra Cactus (Jasminocereus thouarsii) near fountain vent, Cape Hammond, Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands,...

Pete Oxford / Lava cactUS {Brachycereus nesioticus} Tower / Genovesa Is, Galapagos

Tui De Roy / Cactus (Jasminocereus sp) on steep eastern flank of Wolf Volcano, which is streaked with recent lava flows, Isabella Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Lucas Bustamante / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on volcanic landscape, Fernandina Island, Galapagos National Park, Galapagos Islands.

Lucas Bustamante / Aerial view of dense stand of Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus), Fernandina Island, Galapagos National Park, Galapagos Islands.

Lucas Bustamante / Santa Cruz lava-lizard (Microlophus indefatigabilis) resting on spines of a Galapagos prickly pear (Opuntia galapageia), South Plaza Island, Galapagos National Park, Galapagos Islands.

Lucas Bustamante / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on black, volcanic rock, Santiago Island, Galapagos National Park, Galapagos Islands.

Tui De Roy / Santa Cruz lava lizard (Microlophus indefatigabilis) with large prickly pear (Opuntia sp) in the background. Santa Fe Island, Galapagos

Tui De Roy / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus), Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Tui De Roy / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) and volcanic island, Santiago Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Tui De Roy / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on bare lava, Fernandina Island, Galapagos, South America.

Tui De Roy / Lava cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) growing on bare lava, Fernandina Island, Galapagos, South America.

Shane Gross / Lava Cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) endemic pioneering species growing only on young lava flows, Fernandina Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. December 2019.