Based on many years' experience as a grower, collector and lecturer, this is a detailed guide to the plants native to harsh environments that present special problems - and special rewards - in cultivation. The book includes choice species from over 90 genera, the species that are, in the opinion of the author, the most special. This work is in two parts - a complete overview of cacti plus a more detailed examination of the aristocrats such as ariocarpus and aztekium, as well as the popular gymnocalcium, lobivia and rebutia, the focus always being on the most rewarding and exciting species for the grower or collector. The book contains numerous photographs for identification. There is a general introduction dealing with cultivation, followed by a section on distribution and morphology. The main commentary on genera consists of a general description of each genus, a listing of good and rejected species, and further details of those species particularly recommended. The commentary is supplemented by a glossary of terms, a pronunciation guide and a bibliography. John Pilbeam is also the author of Mammillaria: A Collector's Guide, Haworthia and Astrolabia: A Collector's Guide and Sulcorebutia and Weingartia: A Collector's Guide.