Succulents, with their huge diversity of forms and habits, are one of the most fascinating-as well as one of the largest-plant groups found growing wild throughout the world. Many of the genera-Agave, Haworthia, Kalanchoe and Yucca, for example - include some of the best known and most often cultivated houseplants. Other species, however, are exotic and rare, some seldom seen in cultivation, others now rarely seen in the wild.
Never before has there been a single work of reference in which examples of so wide a range of genera have been described and illustrated in colour. Succulents: The Illustrated Dictionary, the companion volume to Cacti: The Illustrated Dictionary, includes more than 1,200 photographs of species and varieties from 195 different genera, and therefore it constitutes a unique work of reference for succulent enthusiasts and collectors.
For ease of use, the dictionary is organized alphabetically by species. Each entry includes a full description of the species as well as the place of origin. Commonly used alternative names are given, and these are also listed separately for convenient cross-reference. In addition, the introduction summarizes the characteristics of the families and genera.