Product Description

Only now, at the beginning of the new millennium, is there an up-to-date, comprehensive study of the cactus family. This long-awaited, monumental work covers the Cactaceae in an encyclopedic manner, addressing 125 genera and 1810 species. The most comprehensive single resource on the subject available today, it includes more than 1000 color photographs in addition to other illustrations. The introduction to each genus concentrates on the discovery of the cacti, and the improvements in our understanding of them, many of which result from relatively recent investigation. As stated in the foreword, "Cacti have a special fascination all their own. Miniature spiny dwarf cacti less than an inch in diameter are hidden in the arid regions of North and South America; the majestic columns of the giant saguaro, Carnegiea gigantea, dominate the deserts of Arizona. Yet all these cacti, given time, offer the surprising paradox of brilliant flowers, their delicacy a striking contrast to the strong spines that keep the viewer at a respectful distance." This remarkable diversity is fully described and illustrated in this authoritative encyclopedia, which is both scientifically accurate and readable. It also includes a chapter by Roger Brown on the cultivation of cacti, making the book even more useful to growers and hobbyists, as well as to taxonomists, ethnobotanists, and conservationists indeed, anyone interested in succulent plants.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #306687 in Books
• Published on: 2001-02-13
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 776 pages

From Booklist
The strange spiny spectacle of cactus plants comes under close and expert scrutiny in this study of great breadth and fascinating detail. Amateur growers and scholars alike will be able to delve into Anderson's treatise and come away with increased understanding of the nearly two thousand species comprising an extraordinary family of New World succulents. On a practical level, Anderson is an eminently inviting writer who delivers intriguing descriptions of the characteristics that set these plants apart. He also presents brief but brilliant surveys of ethnobotany and conservation issues. While more than 1,000 photographs overall illustrate the extraordinary diversity and beautiful flowers of cacti, the main section--an alphabetically arranged reference--will arguably rank as the definitive work readers will use to examine and identify cactus genera, species, and subspecies. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
This is a very thorough treatment of the subject there's little more you could learn about cacti after reading this book ... A book like this enriches our knowledge and may encourage people's interest in growing unusual plants.American Gardener, May/June 2002 (American Gardener )

For over eight decades these definitive records ( the publication, The Cactacae) have been the authority on the plant family Catacae. Edward Anderson's The Cactus Family is now the hallmark publication.Bruce Asakawa, Garden Compass, November 2001 (Garden Compass )

The real meat of this large, scholarly work is contained in its encyclopedic treatment of the 125 genera of cacti. [The photographs] are superb and will entice many avid collectors. David Salman, American Gardener, September/October 2001 (American Gardener )

Michael Clancy, The Arizona Republic, April 18, 2001
Everything you ever wanted to know about any kind of cactus . . . The saguaro of books.

Customer Reviews

MagiCactus.com
If you are cactus enthusiast this is the one book above all others that you just have to have especially now that the price has dropped. You get everything from the botany of cacti through historical notes and a description with pictures for just about every cactus there is. If you belong to a cactus club or group of any kind this will become your bible just as it has for all such groups in the past. If you want just one book to take care of all of your cactus needs this is it!!! And for some real special cacti visit MagiCactus dot com.

Happy Growing

Outstanding Reference Source!
Between 1919 and 1923, a landmark publication in four volumes, The Cactaceae, was published by the Carnegie Institution. It remains a landmark publication in the world's literature on cacti. Edward F. Anderson has produced a massive one volume encyclopedic work, which expands and extends the work of Carnegie Institution. This marvelous resource has been well worth waiting for as it is based on Anderson's forty-five years of research on cacti.

The unique attributes of cacti are discussed in five chapters. Cacti occur naturally and are native to what is called "The New World." Only one species of native cacti is found in tropical Africa. In all other countries of the world where cacti are present, their existence is owed to the early explorers who carried cacti back to Europe on their ships and to birds that dispersed cactus seeds throughout the world.

Cacti as food, both for humans and animals, is addressed along with the medicinal uses of cacti. Cacti have long been used for ceremonial and religious purposes by indigenous peoples of the New World and as a source of dyes, especially the beautiful red cochineal dye. A chapter on cacti cultivation has been contributed by Roger Brown. For those interested in growing cacti in their homes and gardens, Brown's advice on containers, potting and repotting, air circulation and ventilation, pests, pesticides, and propagation is a valuable bonus to this specialized encyclopedia.

Pages 105 through 681 contain over 1,000 stunning color photographs (many photographed by Anderson), which are overwhelming in their portrayal of both the beauty and the idiosyncratic nature of cacti. Examples of the photographic artistry found within these glossy pages range from close-up snapshots of cactus flowers and large photographs of intriguing oddities. It will be difficult for cacti enthusiasts to wean themselves from this prodigious book, which weighs almost ten pounds.

The appendices, glossary and indexes are superb. The eight-page double-column international bibliography is comprehensive, spanning over two centuries of research on cacti (the earliest citation is dated 1760 and the latest references are from 2001). This is truly a state-of-the-art source. This splendid work stands alone and at the top of its genre.

Disappointment!
Less than 50% of the described species has a photograph.
Actual photos are small in size.
No cultivation tips at all!
Good for botanists, less for amateur cactus growers.