The variation in spination of T. hexaedrophorus in habitat is amazing too - have a look at, e.g. http://www.thelocactus.cactus-mall.com/Thelocactus_Gallery/hex_gal.html or in Matuszewski and Hinz's excellent book Thelocactus http://www.kaktus-und-kuebel.de/index.php/Matuszewski,G_%26_Hinz,_S.;_Thelo...

Worth looking at this page too re the new wild flower book
http://www.gardeninginportugal.com/
Scroll down further in this blog for news and photo of two of our Forum members - well done to Apicra and Paul in Essex

STOP PRESS, it has just been agreed that a comprehensive CD of previous journals will be available soon - Watch the website, facebook group and this forum for details. The Tephrocactus Study Group is pleased to announce that the complete set of TSG Journals Volumes 1 to 18 – all 73 issues (1248 pag...

Hi Colin, So you've now admitted to growing an opuntia as well as cleistocacti, amongst all the aloes and gasterias (tu) I agree - when I give my talk on The Smaller Opuntioideae, I say to people if you have room for just one of the 'flat-padded' opuntias then Opuntia pycnantha is the one to grow! F...

Responding personally (and not as a Moderator), I think BrianMc's reply contains some of the most sensible and well thought out views I have seen on our Forum all year - thank you Brian!

Most of the other spp. I've never seen in the flesh and many are probably not in cultivation in the UK. Think we need a Forum expedition to Angola to recollect some of these really rare aloes. :smile: Excellent idea, Colin - I'm sure there's plenty of money in the BCSS Research and Conservation Fun...

Very good indeed - if only we had a 'climate' like yours, all we get here in the UK is 'weather'. What is the mesh size designed to keep out (and let in for that matter)?

I agree, Chris, the media was days ahead of eBay's announcements and actions. I too changed my password at the earliest opportunity (Thur 22nd) but did receive an email from eBay (Devin Wenig, President, eBay Marketplaces) two days later with advice to change your password now if you hadn't already ...

For correctness and completion, by convention * , an intrageneric hybrid with a cultivar name does not have a X signifying it is a hybrid. Also you should use either single quotes or the abbreviation cv. but not both (as Al did in his original reply :wink: ) So, for me, the acceptable names are: Alo...