Anderson, Edward Frederick, 1932 - 2001

Author of many major papers on the family and  the genus. He held a number of positions at botanical institutes in the USA and at the time of his death was Senior Research Botanist at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden.

Backeberg, Curt, 1894 - 1966

German botanist, a prolific author, and prime exponent of the splitter theory of cactus taxonomy, his most famous work is the six volume 'Die Cactaceae'.

Berger, Alwin, 1871 - 1931

German botanist and landscape gardener, author of several handbooks on succulent plants and many journal articles.

Boedecker, Friedrich, 1867 - 1937

A painter by trade, born in cologne, he researched and wrote about the family in his spare time.

Borg, John, 1873 - 1945

A Maltese botanist, best known for his book 'Cacti, A Gardeners Handbook'.

Britton, Nathaniel Lord, 1859 -1934

A founder of the New York Botanical Garden, who was responsible, in collaboration with J.N. Rose for the classic four volume monograph on the family.

Castaneda, M. biography

Mexican engineer, and discoverer of Neogomesia (Ariocapus) agavoides

Coulter, John Merle, 1851 - 1928

Born in China, his family emigrated to the USA in 1853, he studied the North American Cactaceae, and was responsible for  two major revisions of the family.

Engelmann, George, 1809 - 1884

A botanist of German origin, he emigrated to the USA in 1832, and made studies of many groups of the native flora, amongst his superbly  illustrated works  'Cactaceae of the Boundary' stands out as a classic. 

Fitz Maurice, W. A.

USA Cactaceae researcher, resident in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, particularly known for his work on Mammillaria.

Halda, Josef. 

A Czech cactus enthusiast

Hemsley, William Botting, 1843-1924

Botanist and Taxonomist.

Hernandez, Hector.

Mexican botanist, discoverer of Ariocarpus bravoanus.

Horacek, Ladislav

A Czech cactus enthusiast.

Hunt, David Richard, born 1938

English botanist and taxonomist.

Lemaire, Charles, 1800 - 1871

A French horticultural writer and botanist, responsible for raising the standard of illustration in horticulture, his ambition of producing the ultimate illustrated monograph of the family exists only in fragmentary form. 

Marshall, William Taylor, 1886 - 1957

Director of the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden 1946 -1957. His best known work is 'The Cactaceae' written in association with T.M. Bock in 1941.

Panarotto, Paolo,

Italian nurseryman and cactus enthusiast.

Rose, Joseph Nelson, 1862 - 1928

Co-author with N.L. Britton of the four volume monograph 1919-23, responsible for many other papers on the family, as well as major works on the Agavaceae and Crassulaceae.

Scheidweiler,  Michael Josef Francois, 1799 - 1861

A German born Professor of Botany, responsible for the description of several new species of cacti, including Ariocarpus retusus, the type species of the genus.

Schumann, Karl Moritz, 1851 - 1904

A German botanist, Curator of the Berlin Botanical Museum for 20 years, he was responsible for many thoroughly researched works on the family.

Stuppy, Wolfgang Hermann born 1966

German botanist currently based at Kew Gardens.

Taylor, Nigel Paul, born 1956

English botanist, currently Director of Living Plant Collections at Kew Gardens.

Thompson, Charles Henry, 1870 - 1931

American botanist and Taxonomist.

Weber, Frederic Albert Constantin, 1830 - 1903

French botanist, who studied and collected the family whist serving as a military surgeon in Mexico 1864-67, much of his work was published posthumously.