The phrase 'a species is what I say it is' is not as strange as at first it may seem - it actually makes sense in certain contexts.

When an author describes a new species and follows the then current ISBN rules, he gives a name to a set of attributes that defines the plant on which the description is based. Some descriptions are more useful then others, but that is quite another issue.

It can be frustrating and difficult to track down that original description. The purpose of this list is to allow individuals to contribute copies of the full original descriptions that they may already have for any taxa. An ambiguous project, I know, that's why we will limit ourselves to the Family Cactaceae.

A separate public web-site database, fully searchable with information presented in a standard format is being planned. In contributing descriptions to this list, members agree that to this information being included in the database.

This group can discuss the merit or otherwise of these descriptions.

Please only submit the full text and any illustrations of original descriptions and combinations, together with details of the publication where it was first published (Author(s), Publication, volume, (issue):page range, year.

Once this information is available on-line, individuals can cut & paste this into translation software to obtain a version in their preferred language, thus increasing its usefulness.

Help to build this egroup into a valuable service!