Date: Thu, 04 Aug 2005 23:43:50 -0400
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
From: Candy Madigan <candymadigan at mindspring.com>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Well of Miriam
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

At 04:30 PM 8/4/2005, you wrote:
>On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 15:51:03 -0400
>   Candy Madigan <candymadigan at mindspring.com> wrote:
> >>Although many other succulent plants exist in the Old
> >>World, even a few
> >>with spines, they are not cacti because they lack
> >>areoles. These
> >>specialized structures are unique to cacti and identify
> >>the family.
> >>-------------
> >
> > So basically, it's only important if you are a botanist
> >or are anal
> > retentive?  OK.  Not being either, I'll continue to call
> >most succulents
> > "cacti".
> >
>     Argh!!  Things can be succulents without being
>cactuses.  Think of a jade plant or an aloe.   I think
>cactuses have flowers directly from the body of the plant
>without an intermediate stem. They also have thorns which
>are modified leaves, not modified stems.  Of course I
>could be wrong.
>    Details are fun.

Like I said, I don't care.  Unless I take up botany, it will never matter
to me.

Candy
(301)345-6635