Naming Cactus and Succulents ... 3/5

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Linnaeus named 22 species of cactus in the single genus "Cactus" in 1753's "Species Plantarum" book.

As more cacti were discovered, it was realized there should be more than one genus for them. Soon the columnar ones were transferred into genus Cereus (Latin for candle), and the globular ones to Echinocactus (Greek for spiny). Soon even more genera were named and described to cope with the range of different new cacti being brought back from the New World. Species were transferred from one genus to another due to research or a persons whim, a process that continues to this day. Today there are about 30 to 200 genera, depending on latest studies, and lumping or splitting (see below).

Knowing the correct names of plants allows us to be concise, so Carnegia gigantea is easier to write than "the big cactus that branches from up high that grows in Arizona" and Stenocereus thurberi is easier to write than "the big cactus that branches from the base that grows in southern Arizona/northern Mexico" and there is no confusion.

Plant's names do change. These changes can be due to new research, lumping or splitting (see below), mistakes in following the rules of nomenclature (invalid names) or even an authors whim in a new book.
Much the same way as this months "medical breakthrough" or research may be dismissed months later in new trials or research, so names can change with research or peoples ideas.
You don't have to change labels on your plant/s when you hear of a name change. Name changes are accepted over time if professional botanists accept the reasoning of authors making changes. If you don't accept the reasoning, you don't have to change, but be aware of these changes so that if someone else speaks of a plant with it's "new" name you can recognise it.

Lumpers are scientists/hobbyists that concentrate on the similarities and tend to group plants more so there are a fewer number of uniquely named plants, where-as Splitters tend to concentrate on the differences and make more uniquely named plants - Somewhere there is a happy medium!! But also remember these divisions are "man" made and nature itself doesn't divide and name plants as such and the boundary between one species/genera and another can be very obscure, hence the reason classifications do change due to research, perhaps one day with highly advanced DNA technology it will be possible to classify (and hence name) plants with absolute certainty once and for all - or perhaps not!

Part of the reason cactus nomenclature is so mixed up is that much of the original work and naming was done by amateurs and hobbyists without proper training. There have been 11,000 published Latin names for cacti, most of which are incorrect, for the "accepted" 1600 (more or less) species of today.

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