Carnegia gigantea forma cristata is a relatively rare form of the more common version of the iconic saguaro cactus. Cresting is not unique to the saguaro. Many other species of cactus demonstrate this apparent deformity. The actual cause of the cresting is not known but theories range from lightning strikes to genetic diseases. Only about one in 250,000 saguaros are crested. All saguaro cactus are protected by law in the State of Arizona. This particular specimen was found at the entrance to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson, Arizona.
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