It's Been Far Too Long

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Wed May 09, 2007 10:33 pm

Finally, after a month of tumult and stress (too much to do in too little time) life has resumed its normal frenetic pace.

II have two focus stacked catus images to I promised myself that I would post before going to bed. The first is an Echinocereus viereckii, which is nearly spineless

This Gymnocalycium fleisherianum is listed in only one of my books, so I don't know if it is an accepted species. Hope you enjoy.

Its good to be back. Tommorrow I will harass y'all.

Irwin

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Thu May 10, 2007 8:49 am

Good to have you back Irwin. A spineless cactus...good idea

. Beautiful color on the flowers.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Thu May 10, 2007 9:27 am

Hi Irwin - good to see you back and posting on the forum

I'm sure Dave will be able to confirm but I think the (almost) spineless form of Echinocereus viereckii goes under the name E. viereckii ssp. morricalii. I do like the look of spineless cacti (actually I like the look of most cacti for that matter

).

Bruce

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:11 pm

Thanks Doug and Bruce. It is good to be engaging in my passion again and seeing everyone's work.

Bruce, it is in fact the subspecies morricalii. The plant tag is so old that it treats morricalii as a species name rather than as a subspecies.

Take care.

Irwin

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Fri May 11, 2007 8:54 am

Was just going to say it was E. morricalii before I read Bruce's identification. Mine is just budding up.

Gymnocalycium fleischerianum is listed as dubiously published by Hunt, though it seems an attempt to to validate it was made in 2003. Hunt says:-

"it remained invalid for lack of a type designation, but the taxon, which occurs sympatrically with G. paraguayense, has recently been re-described and typified."

The combination Gymnocalycium paraguayense f. fleischerianum has also been made.

DaveW

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Fri May 11, 2007 2:17 pm

Thanks Dave. One of these days, I will inventory my collection and calculate the percentage of plants that have be reclassified or misclassified since I got them. Thanks again.

Irwin

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Fri May 11, 2007 2:32 pm

Then you can get rid of half of them as they will have been reduced to synonymy!

DaveW

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Fri May 11, 2007 8:48 pm

crotermund · Post by **crotermund** » Fri May 11, 2007 11:06 pm

Hello Irwin -
I really like the composition & colors of the first pic. I like the second pic a lot also, but it almost feels more like a painting to me. I'm not sure if it is the lighting or what exactly, but it has a soft quality that is very appealing.

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Sat May 12, 2007 7:32 am

Thank you Craig. I like them both for very different reason. The green/purple combination just vibrates. Primarily white subjects are far more difficult for me. I tried to play the rhythms of the white stigma against the rhythms of the petals. Sometimes I wish I played a musical instrument besides my ipod.

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Sat May 12, 2007 8:28 am

Didn't know you could use the Rhythm Method for photography Irwin?

DaveW

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Sat May 12, 2007 10:15 am

When you get to my age, you use whatever works.