CSSA VOL.80, September-October 2008 No.5 Conservation massacre Ariocarpus bravoanus driven near extinction Héctor M Hernández Stalking the wild Lophophora : PART 2 Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas PLUS: The Hitchhiker's Guide to molecular systematics Martin Terry Sclerocactus nyensis and the Great Basin Desert Zlatko Janeba Three new succulent peperomias from Perú Guillermo Pino Opuntia fragilis in Michigan Eric Ribbens and Alicia Giesler Acidic Solutions Adjusting water's pH improves plant growth Malcolm Burleigh, Elton Roberts and D.Russell Wagner Melocactus alex-bragai long known but never described Pierre J.Braun and Eddie Esteves Pereira Larger than reported A giant form of Echinocactus texensis turns up in New Mexico Gary Duke and Maria Creste Cactus tips from a master grower Echinofossulocactus Elton Roberts Succulents on Stamps: Succulent forms Peg Spaete

On the cover Many interesting plants inhabit the arroyos of Mexico's Sierra La Paila foothills north of Estación Marte, Coahuila. This fat and healthy Lophophora williamsii (the maligned Peyote cactus) is obviously at home here. It thrives wedged into the smallest of crevices on fantastically shaped rocks, where it is well adapted to the colors and shapes of its surroundings. More strange succulents can be found in this area, including Grusonia bradtiona, an ocotillo species, Epithelantha bokei, and many more. There's even an echeveria, E. strictiflora, that can survive the hot dry climate but only in the shade of bushes and rocks high up in the arroyos. Julia Etter and Martin Kristen captured our cover image. More about this, the friendliest of cacti, can be found beginning on page 222, Martin Terry's second installment on his adventures collecting tissue samples from peyote populations throughout its range.