Cacti
Alex's page of cactus-related
things. First some pictures and details of particular genera and species.
Below you'll find a list of all cactus genera.
Here I follow the taxonomy of the CITES checklist of Cactaceae by Daivd Hunt, 1992. Many people disagree with some of the decisions taken in there, especially if their favourite genus has become lumped under a mass genus like Echinopsis.
There are some links to more information, sometimes with photographs.
If they are in my webspace, you have permission to copy for non-commercial
purposes.
Now some general stuff about cacti and other plants.
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The Cactus & Succulent
Plant Mall. This is the place to go for links to just about everything
about cacti and other succulents, and it subsumes the list of links below!
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Cactus Center Club, a Spanish
society.
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Kew Gardens Databases,
find any genus and any author.
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Cactaceae
Juss. from Cornell.
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Miles To Go, a cactus and succulent dealer
in the USA.
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Caryophyllidae,
from Texas A and M university
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Serra Gardens
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Fungi and bacteria
affecting cacti, from the Department of Plant Pathology at Texas A&M
University.
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Very many cacti are threatened by extinction. The main reasons for this
are land development for agriculture, housing, and roads. For many rare
species, however, the main threat comes from unscrupulous collectors. Rare
plants and animals are protected internationally by the CITES
convention. For plants, there are mainly two levels of protection. The
plants listed on Appendix I are acutely in danger. It is forbidden to remove
any part of them from the wild, including seeds and cuttings. Quite a few
cacti are on Appendix I. The plants listed on Appendix II are threatened.
All other cacti are on this list. The plants may not be removed from nature,
but seeds may. However, the CITES convention is supplemented by national
laws, which often are stronger, in particular in the case of Mexico.
Most of us must admit that we are mainly plant-lovers, not scientific
botanists. Most species of cacti are readily available from commercial
nurseries and other growers. We should not pretend to "need" plant material
taken from the wild.
However, cacti occur naturally only in the Americas. The cacti growing
in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia are invaders and often pests that
damage the local species or agriculture. Of course they are not protected.
In fact, the CITES list specifically excludes naturalized species of Opuntia
(prickly pear) from protection!
The following species are on appendix I:
CACTACEAE .
. Ariocarpus spp.
. Astrophytum asterias
. Aztekium ritteri
. Coryphantha werdermannii
. Discocactus spp.
. Disocactus macdougallii, syn. Lobeira macdougallii, Nopalxochia macdougallii
. Echinocereus ferreirianus
. var. lindsayi, syn. Echinocereus lindsayi
. Echinocereus schmollii, sun. Wilcoxia
schmollii
. Escobaria minima, also as Coryphantha
. Escobaria sneedii, also as Coryphantha
. Mammillaria pectinifera, syn. Solisia
pectinata
. Mammillaria solisioides
. Melocactus conoideus
. Melocactus deinacanthus
. Melocactus glaucescens
. Melocactus paucispinus
. Obregonia denegrii
. Pachycereus militaris, syn. Backebergia
militaris
. Pediocactus bradyi, also as Toumeya
. Pediocactus despainii
. Pediocactus knowltoniialso as Toumeya
. Pediocactus paradinei
. Pediocactus peeblesianus, also as Toumeya
. Pediocactus sileri
. Pediocactus winkleri
. Pelecyphora spp.
. Sclerocactus brevihamatus, syn. Ancistrocactus
tobuschii
. Sclerocactus erectocentrus, also in genus
Neolloydia or in genus Echinomastus
. Sclerocactus glaucus
. Sclerocactus mariposensis, also in genus
Neolloydia or in genus Echinomastus
. Sclerocactus mesaeverdae
. Sclerocactus papyracanthus, also in genus
Toumeya or in genus Pediocactus
. Sclerocactus pubispinus
. Sclerocactus wrightiae
. Strombocactus disciformis
. Turbinicarpus spp., also in genus Neolloydia
. Uebelmannia spp.
All other species are on appendix II, and that is all parts and derivatives,
except:
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seeds and pollen;
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seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid
media, transported in sterile containers;
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fruits and parts and derivatives thereof of naturalized or artificially
propagated plants; and
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separate stem joints (pads) and parts and derivatives thereof of naturalized
or artificially propagated plants of the genus Opuntia subgenus
Opuntia.
For the UK, the Management Authority (the office that is authorized to
issue CITES certificates) is:
Department of the Environment
Global Wildlife Division
Tollgate House
Houlton Street
BRISTOL BS2 9DJ
Telephone: (44117) 9878749
Telex: 449321 tolgte g
Cable: DOETOLLGATE BRISTOL
Telefax: (44117) 9878206
E-mail:
global.wildlife@gtnet.gov.uk
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]
Author: Alex Bunkenburg
(bunkenba@dcs.gla.ac.uk)
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