Somebody made a comment on one of the zoom talks the other week about wanting to know info about a book. It made me realise that a lot of newer people to the hobby may not know what books are out there to buy to help them study the plants.
I've put a list together a tentative list of books I know about, but I need help with the succulents - particularly those about things like Aloes and such like. I think I've got a pretty good list of cacti books.
http://manchester.bcss.org.uk/home/shor ... ety-pages/
To get on the list the books need to be about about specific genera, or are technical in some way. I want to avoid listing dozens of "how to grow cacti and succulent" books, though we could have a section for that if people suggest good books.
Happy to hear any additions if people can think of them.
Thanks.
Any useful links to websites are also welcome. Think of it as a "bookmark" page, rather than being exhaustive like the cactus-mall pages.
Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
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For the discussion of topics related to the conservation, cultivation, propagation, exhibition & science of cacti & other succulents only.
Please respect all forum members opinions and if you can't make a civil reply, don't reply!
- Chris L
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Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
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Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
Conophytum - Bradleyas 6 - 9 for Hammer's check list and also his first book"The Genus Conophytum a Conograph"
Lithops - there are two main Des Cole books, Nel's Lithops
Mesembs - Herre "Genera of the Mesembryanthemaceae, Van Jaarsveld "Vyjies", six authors "Mesembs of the World", Schwantes "Flowering Stones" is still a good read.
Crassulaceae - Tolken's two volume Crassula and one volume SA Crassulaceae; van Jaarsveld "Tylecodons and Cotyledons"; Tribble et al's "Adromischus"
Haworthia group - Bayer's three books and updates at Astroworthia (corrected: Alsterworthia). Scott book is hardly worth recommending
Gasteria - van Jaarsveld monograph
Aloes - Reynold's two books on the genus
Asclepiads - Bruyns's two volume book (I think he has a recent Euphorbia book too)
White & Slone; White Slone and Dyer
Lithops - there are two main Des Cole books, Nel's Lithops
Mesembs - Herre "Genera of the Mesembryanthemaceae, Van Jaarsveld "Vyjies", six authors "Mesembs of the World", Schwantes "Flowering Stones" is still a good read.
Crassulaceae - Tolken's two volume Crassula and one volume SA Crassulaceae; van Jaarsveld "Tylecodons and Cotyledons"; Tribble et al's "Adromischus"
Haworthia group - Bayer's three books and updates at Astroworthia (corrected: Alsterworthia). Scott book is hardly worth recommending
Gasteria - van Jaarsveld monograph
Aloes - Reynold's two books on the genus
Asclepiads - Bruyns's two volume book (I think he has a recent Euphorbia book too)
White & Slone; White Slone and Dyer
Last edited by Terry S. on Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
- habanerocat
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Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
I've been looking for a good book on Agaves.
I know A Gallery Of Agaves is out there but it's very expensive.
So I'd be interested to hear of any recommendations here.
I know A Gallery Of Agaves is out there but it's very expensive.
So I'd be interested to hear of any recommendations here.
- Paul D
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Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
A few more:
Coryphantha: Cacti of Mexico and Southern USA, by R. F. Dicht and A. D. Lüthy (Springer, 2005)
Sulcorebutien, Kleinode aus Bolivien, by Willi Gertel and Wolfgang Latin (in German; loads of photographs; DKG, 2010)
Sulcorebutia 2008, by Ladislav Horáček
Sulcorebutia 2020, by Ladislav Horáček
These last two need to be taken together really; 2008 gives a summary of known species recognised by the author to date, and 2020 adds to these with expansions and new discovered species.
Coryphantha: Cacti of Mexico and Southern USA, by R. F. Dicht and A. D. Lüthy (Springer, 2005)
Sulcorebutien, Kleinode aus Bolivien, by Willi Gertel and Wolfgang Latin (in German; loads of photographs; DKG, 2010)
Sulcorebutia 2008, by Ladislav Horáček
Sulcorebutia 2020, by Ladislav Horáček
These last two need to be taken together really; 2008 gives a summary of known species recognised by the author to date, and 2020 adds to these with expansions and new discovered species.
Paul in North-east Scotland (Grampian Branch BCSS)
National Collection Rebutia, Aylostera & Weingartia (inc. Sulcorebutia). Also growing a mixture including Ferocactus, Gymnocalycium, Lobivia, Mammillaria, Lithops, Gasteria, Haworthia.
http://www.rebutia.org.uk
National Collection Rebutia, Aylostera & Weingartia (inc. Sulcorebutia). Also growing a mixture including Ferocactus, Gymnocalycium, Lobivia, Mammillaria, Lithops, Gasteria, Haworthia.
http://www.rebutia.org.uk
Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
Interesting that Pilbeam's Agave book is regarded as very expensive at £39. I would say that this was somewhere near the median for succulent plant books on specific genera or group of genera, many cost a lot more. The problem is that such books have very small print runs, typically 1000 - 2000, rarely more. So they are always going to be a lot more expensive than a popular novel or Obama's book which is probably selling in millions. There is an additional problem when a book becomes out of print and a new interest developed in the genus as with Hammer's cono books, which are very expensive by any standards on the second-hand market.
Most BCSS branches used to maintain libraries, but many of these have disappeared over the years as people have turned to on-line resources. But good books take a lot of beating, particularly when written by somebody who has specialised in the particular area about which they are writing. Information on-line is very hit and miss. I have learned never to accept the name on an image without checking it out.
Anyway, one variegated Agave could cost a lot more than the book!
Most BCSS branches used to maintain libraries, but many of these have disappeared over the years as people have turned to on-line resources. But good books take a lot of beating, particularly when written by somebody who has specialised in the particular area about which they are writing. Information on-line is very hit and miss. I have learned never to accept the name on an image without checking it out.
Anyway, one variegated Agave could cost a lot more than the book!
-
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Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
What is the society’s opinion on free ‘downloaded’ books?
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All my plants are kept indoors and I started collecting in August 2018. Favourites are Pachyphytum, Echeveria, Haworthia, Mesembs and oddball Cacti.
- habanerocat
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Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
You've sold me on the Agave book.Terry S. wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 12:01 pm Interesting that Pilbeam's Agave book is regarded as very expensive at £39. I would say that this was somewhere near the median for succulent plant books on specific genera or group of genera, many cost a lot more. The problem is that such books have very small print runs, typically 1000 - 2000, rarely more. So they are always going to be a lot more expensive than a popular novel or Obama's book which is probably selling in millions. There is an additional problem when a book becomes out of print and a new interest developed in the genus as with Hammer's cono books, which are very expensive by any standards on the second-hand market.
Most BCSS branches used to maintain libraries, but many of these have disappeared over the years as people have turned to on-line resources. But good books take a lot of beating, particularly when written by somebody who has specialised in the particular area about which they are writing. Information on-line is very hit and miss. I have learned never to accept the name on an image without checking it out.
Anyway, one variegated Agave could cost a lot more than the book!
Have you ever considered putting a book together yourself?
You must have some amount of material already.
- Phil_SK
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Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
Done. That'll have everyone wondering!
Not speaking for the Society but where the publisher and author have authorised this, I can't see a problem. The only simple way to find out if this is the case, for C&S books, is to check what the copyright status is in https://cactuspro.com/biblio/en:accueil If you find a pdf to something that isn't in the C&SDL it's probably not authorised!
Phil Crewe, BCSS 38143. Mostly S. American cacti, esp. Lobivia, Sulcorebutia and little Opuntia
- Phil_SK
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Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
E&N Sarnes, Austrocactus 2015. I want to know how they managed to produce it for €12.50 +p&p!
Phil Crewe, BCSS 38143. Mostly S. American cacti, esp. Lobivia, Sulcorebutia and little Opuntia
- Aiko
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Re: Lists of books and useful pages (info and help wanted, please)
The genus Lachenalia by Graham Duncam is very nice if you are into these African bulbs.
A bit pricey, but with some luck you might still find a cheaper copy than 150+ euro / GBP.
A bit pricey, but with some luck you might still find a cheaper copy than 150+ euro / GBP.
Thanks.