The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cacti

325 Pages·1997·69.1 MB·English

by  Charles Glass, Clive Innes

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OVER 1200 SPECIES ILLUSTRATED AND IDENTIFIED
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CLIVETNNES & CHARLES GLASS
The Ilustrated Encyclopedia of

CACTI

his new. totally auchoritative visual directory

is the ultimaze guide to the fascinating world
of cicti, Wich over 1,200 encries, each
nndiviually illusteaced in full color, itis the ideal
practical recognition handbook and working
reference resource for amarcur enthusiasts
everywhere, containing all the information
needed to idenfy individual plants and then to
select the varicries thar will laak and grow the
best in specific domestic situations, Each genus
currently recognized as belonging to the
Cactaceze family is represented, together with
many of the inter-generic hybrids, which are
currensly srossing tremendous
cactus fans

ith hack-1ip informarion on such essential

sas sol types, sun and shade requirements,
rnginteranee end pests and diseases, Cacti
essential reading and reference for all the
thousands of gardeners who have been bitten by
the cactus bug and are interested in finding our a
much as possible about these intriguing plants,
The work has been prepared by world experts
Clive Innes and Chi 138; the classifications
employed are completely up-to-date, making use
of the new clasificuion system which is now
adopred as rhe international standard

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Front jacket pictures, clockwise from top left; Armatcerens
atria, Chamnaclobvix Fie Chil ashi 9p ny
Brouringia micraperms, Gsmosalcium sags

Back jacket pictore- Coleucoplceres estes
THE ILLUSTRATED
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
CACTI

THE ILLUSTRATED
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF

CACTI

CLIVEINNES & CHARLESGLASS
A QUANTUM BOOK

ished by Knickerbocker Press
276 Filth Aver, Ste 206
New York, NY 1000

Usa,

Copyright © 1991 Quarto Publishing pie
This edition printed 197

All sights reseed,
‘Tris book is protested by copyright. No par
reproduced, stored ina retrieval system, ot
form or by any means
‘ofthe Publisher, nor bs otherwise eiculted in any form of
bincing or cower other than eat in which it i published anc
‘without a similar écndition incising is candition being
iimpoved on the subsequent poslsher

ofitmay be

ISBN 15771501741

‘This book wae produced by
(Quantum Boots Led
‘Blundell iret
London N7 SEH

Senior Editor Kate Kirby
Editor Moyra Kitchen’

Designer Carcle Perks

Illustrator Anne Savage
Symbols David Kemp.

‘Art Ditectar Moira Clinch
Editorial Director Janct Slingsby

‘Typesetin Bournemouth by Ampersand Typesetting Ltd
‘Manulactured in Hong Kong by Regent Publishing Services Lid
Printed in China by Lecfung Asco Printets Ltd

With spectal thanks to

Philip Gilderdale, Anies Rudée'l, Frances Austen

Tale page picture: Rebuia semis
CONTENTS

FOREWORD - 6-7

HOW TO LOCATE YOUR PLANT - 8-11

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK - 12-13

CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES - 14-17

DIRECTORY OF SPECIES - 18-309

AUTHORS OF CACTUS TITLES - 310

GLOSSARY - 311

USEFUL ADDRESSES - 312-313

INDEX - 314-320

CREDITS - 320
FOREWORD

he question most often asked about books on cactiis,
“Where can I find one thatis truly informative, with
detailed photographs ofa wide range of cacti from
around the world?” Until now, disappointingly, the
answer has been that there isn’t one: the aim of this
book is to fill that gap.

In producing sucha mammoth book, the biggest
problem isin organizing the material ina logical and
simple way, and the obvious answeris by an
alphabetical presentation. As with any branch of the
natural sciences, however, the amateur cactus collector
soon learns that there is no way of avoiding the
botanical or Latin names, and that an understanding of
taxonomy, or nomenclature (i.c. the principles of
classification of plants, etc) will help to make life easier.
Onlya few cacti have such “user-friendly” names as
‘Bunny Ears,’ ‘Prickly Pear,’ ‘Golden Barrel,’ or
‘Christmas Cactus’: for the vast majority one has no
alternative but to make one’s peace with the Linnaean
Binomial System of Nomendlature, foreign as it may
soundat first. In this system, the botanical names of
plants are in two parts: first the genus, then the
species. Plants which closely resemble each other are

classified in the same genus. The species name distinguishes different plants
belonging to the same genus. In some cases there is a third varictal name, wherea
plant differs slightly from the species type, but not enough forit to be classed asa
separate species.

Related genera are grouped into families, the relationship being based solely on
flower structure. Family names end in the suffix ‘acewe’: thus Cactacere is the cactus
family. The cactus is a very large family, which including the hybrid genera amounts
to over 150 genera and sev eral thousaid different species. The more popular the

yup the greater the proliferation of names and, eventually, the more those names
are reshuffled in attempts to make sense of the groups in question. Occasionally,
questionable motives have come into play, whena plant has been reclassified
merely in order that an individual can have his or her name permanently attached to
the plant in question. This has led the science of taxonomy to be unatfectionately
referred to as “the name game.”

In few groups of plants has the “name game” been sv extensively played as in the
cactus. Much good work with the classification of cacti has been done by amateurs
and, it has to be said, much thatis highly questionable to downright outrageous:
The resultis that some species have been shuffled and reshuffled into so many
generic groups that it bewilders both student and botanist as to where, indeed, a
particular plant belongs, and a reasonable and consistent classification becomes
frustratingly unattainable.
If we get too caught up in the “name game,” we tend to forget that the plantis
more important than what we call it, andl that names are meant to be handles for the
per ts, not the other way around. In our opinion, the best way to put the emphasis
back on the plants is through a pictorial compendium suchas this one. Of course,
those handles are necessary and one is faced with the necessity of espousing some
sort of dassification. A major classification of the Cactaceae was proposed back in the
early 1920s by the American botanists, Britton and Rose. This has gained wide
acceptance, but of course those species and genera which have been discovered
since then are not included in that classification. In the 1960s an amateur German
cactus enthusiast, Curt Backeberg, attempted another classification of the cactus.
family and his mammoth work filled no less than six volumes. His approach was
very liberal, resulting in a proliferation of species and mini-genera, and his work did
not always conform with proper, accepted procedure, so many of his new genera
have ta be considered as illegitimate. There have been many other revisions of
groups or genera of the Cactaceae, but so far no other complete reclassification of the
family to the species level

We have attempted in this book to recognize as far as possible the most popularly
accepted and practical classifications, while also recognizing the requirements of
those amateur collectors who seek help in identifying their plants, and who may
wish to acquire new species and varieties which they have not come across before.
The main goal of this book, then, is to represent as many genera, species, and
varieties of cactus as possible, along with color photographs, both of habitatand_
cultivation, and descriptive notes.

'
Ab inparnaned
7b sine fee
nana!

CHARLES GLASS
Forthoseof you who are
not familiar with the
rnamesofcactiand may
have some plants that you
would keto try to
identify and don’tknow
where tostartlooking, the
yuide on thisand the
following spread may
help. Igivesa breakdown
of the main groupsof
ccacius, according tosize
and shape, and lis:s
examples of each. Of
course, some groupshave
members that may belong
in twoor more of these
categories, so itean be ro
‘more than a sometimes
fallible guide, butat leastit
will narrow the field.
Boginby desermining,
whichtof the basic shape
categories your cactus,
comes under, For
example, isit columnar or
globular? Once youhave
established its basic shape,
decide ty which sub-
division the planttelongs.
Iithe plant s globular,
doesithave very few
spinesornoreatall, oris
its dominant characteristic
that ithas prominent
tubercles? (The line
illostration above cach
sub-division willhelp.
further with
identification, )Once the
sub-division hasbeen
established lookat the
globular plants in each of
the genera listed, ane’ see
if yourcactusmatches the
description or picture, For
instance, ifyou have
decided your plantis
globular with few spines,
coat the globular
Astrophytum entries on
pages28-31;dees your
aclusmatch picture or
text description? If no,
eos uncer the globular
Aztekiium entry on page
32, Workyourway
through the sub-divisions
il you finda match tor
your plant

HOW TO LOCATE YOUR PLANT

@| ciomutan

Teworno spines Spinesincombslike Prominent spination

Bulges AR 20
Pelecysnorn 5% Conyphanthasns v8
d Beno 3
Eshineenctis
With atorprominemt —Fehineeees on 7876
tubercles often Echirofosloata 0
scale-like} Eco
Fomalocepha 2 129
Labia sre nc
Lbivopee 189
With prominent
Ariocapu nn ne DBR ‘ephaliun
‘ferakeia ft
Acanthocajeum...619—Lewchtennergi ad
Fechinomssts Neowensermanaia wn 208
Epilantha Ones Et

Excobaia Gxtegocy
Pelecyphors

Stromsocactu

Woolly orspiny crown,

Diseoe AES er O-69
Melocactus iia

Copiapoa
Echinoeereusin,68) 71073 — Meuenne
Neolloydia 199 Notocactus

Reoporeria
Pysmacocerea
Sulerocacton
Thevcachis
Ucbelmannia

305-307