cactus as a tree?

[Larry Sheldon]

On 3/10/2012 9:26 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:

>> Look through these and tell me what you see.  Saguaro, Cholla,
>> Joshua (Maybe not).
>>
> Hey, they call it a Joshua tree, not a Joshua "tree".  Of course, it
> could be argued that despite its moniker a Joshua tree is no more a
> tree than peanut butter is butter. And then there's phone sex.  But
> still.

My "Maybe not" indicated a question in my mind abort the Joshua Tree's
status as a cactus--I'm not sure it is.  (And I see now that I'm not
sure what a cactus is.)

Bing says:  spiky desert plant: a spiny leafless plant with fleshy stems
and branches and often with brilliantly colored flowers

Joshua Trees have leaves.
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