BCSS Macclesfield & East Cheshire Branch

Newsletter December 2006 - Book review

The New Cactus Lexicon

"The New Cactus Lexicon" edited by David Hunt, assisted by Nigel Taylor and Graham Charles. dh Books, Milborne Port, 2 vols, 2006, £96.

The end of this year saw the much-awaited publication of The New Cactus Lexicon by David Hunt (assisted by members of the International Cactaceae Systematics Group, including such luminaries as Graham Charles & Nigel Taylor). Publication was only possible by the raising of funds through prior, paid-up subscription from a significant number of its likely buyers, of whom I was one, and so were at least two other members of the Branch. So, what did we receive for our not inconsiderable financial outlay and longer-than-expected wait? Well, in purely material terms we got two very hefty, large-format volumes of over 900 pages in total: a purely text volume accompanied by a separate volume devoted to approximately 2500 colour photos. In terms of content, we have an opus that follows very much in the tradition of Curt Backeberg’s famous Kakteenlexikon (familiar to many of us in its subsequent English translation as the Cactus Lexicon), but reflecting an updated taxonomic treatment together with the benefits of profuse photographic illustration in colour, which Backeberg’s volume lacked .

For those less familiar with Backeberg’s Lexicon, what exactly do we get? Well, in some ways it is easiest to quote Hunt himself from the Introduction: "It is essentially a directory of the genera, species and subspecies of cacti recognised by our principal contributors on the basis of their current knowledge of the plants in the field and in cultivation, and of the literature. It does not include chapters of general information about the family, its history, morphology and cultivation and so on"

However, as Private Jones would have exclaimed: "Don’t panic, don’t panic!" There is no need to rush out and buy new labels by the hundreds to rename a large proportion of our collections in the New Year. Where taxonomists go, we are not bound to follow immediately, unless we really wish to, and the plants still remain the same! There will undoubtedly be considerable resistance to such moves, and I expect that Notocactus, Sulcorebutia and Lobivia will continue to be common currency across the length and breadth of BCSS branches for a considerable time yet.

It has to be said that the text volume of The New Lexicon is not a gripping read. Every page is densely packed with heavily-abbreviated descriptions of each species and sub-species, together with habitat information and first publication details. You will not sit down and plough through pages of it for the sheer fun of it, though of course it was never meant to be treated in this way. This is very much a volume for briefly dipping into occasionally when some query, observation or newly acquired plant prompts a search for more specific information. Thankfully the volume is concluded by a 90-page set of appendices mostly comprising listings of recognised species and their principal synonyms.

For me the real value of the New Cactus Lexicon is in the second, larger and purely photographic volume. This is a phenomenally comprehensive and high quality catalogue of the breadth and splendour of cactus evolution and diversity. As most of these photos are from habitat, it does have great limitations as a manual to identification of our plants. My plants don’t generally look like those in habitat – they are generally less dramatic in spination, though fortunately often less stressed and battered as well! We may be already familiar with good photos of many of the more globular species that are most likely to be encountered in our collections, but the real strength of this volume is in its overall balance with its equal commitment to comprehensively covering the columnar cacti, as well as the epiphytes. Where else do you expect to see what mature specimens of Lasiocereus rupicola, Coleocephalocereus fluminensi ssp. decumbens or Pseudorhipsalis amazonica look like? You would be waiting a long time for John Pilbean to author handbooks covering these genera!

This Lexicon is unlikely to be superceded for many years to come, especially considering the expense incurred in producing such large and lavish volumes for a relatively small audience. From that perspective, its useful lifetime probably justifies its expense and it would be difficult to outdo its photographic content. Fortunately, if not already convinced, I gather that our Branch library has a copy, and you are highly recommended to borrow it for a month. [See Peter Davies - Ed]

Malcolm Lyon