The Euphorbia of desert parts of Africa and India are succulent and have thorns but are superficially very similar to the unrelated cacti native to the deserts of the Americas. This pair of plant groups represents an example of ________.

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The fact that two unrelated plant groups (Euphorbia and cacti) have evolved similar adaptions (succulent and thorny) to survive in similar environments (deserts) points to convergent evolution. This occurs when different species independently evolve similar characteristics due to similar selective pressures.

The Euphorbia of Desert Parts of Africa and India Are