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British Cactus & Succulent Society

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British Cactus & Succulent Society
AbbreviationBCSS
Formation16 April 1983; 41 years ago (1983-04-16)[1]
TypeRegistered charity[1]
PurposePromote cacti and succulents
Region served
United Kingdom & World
Membership
around 3,000 (2021)[2]
President
Graham Charles
Websitewww.society.bcss.org.uk

The British Cactus & Succulent Society (BCSS) was founded in 1983 by the coalition of The National Cactus and Succulent Society (founded 23 August 1945 as The Yorkshire Cactus Society[3]) and The Cactus and Succulent Society of Great Britain (officially founded 8 March 1932, affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society[4]).[5] There are over 80 local branches around the UK that organise local activities including shows, talks and markets. The national Society also organises talks, shows and international conventions. The current patrons are Anne Swithinbank and Tom Hart Dyke.[2]

Objectives

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The principal objectives of the BCSS are to promote the study, conservation, propagation and cultivation of cacti and other succulent plants.[2]

The policy the society is to disqualifying plants that had been collected from the wild from the society's competitions. Disagreement with this by some of the society's members led to the resignation of the society's president in 2024.[6]

Publications

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Journals

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CactusWorld is published four times a year and is intended for those with a general interest in cacti and succulents.[7]

Bradleya has been published once a year since 1983 and only includes articles of a rigorously academic standard, though intended to be accessible and easily-understood by the general reader.[8]

Books

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The BCSS also publishes a range of books from general cultivation guides to monographs on specific genera of cacti and succulents. They also work with partners such as Kew Publishing to produce larger books for a wider audience.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "BRITISH CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY". Register of Charities. Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "About". British Cactus & Succulent Society. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  3. ^ Roan, H.M.; Ives, F. (March 1946). "Editorial". The Yorkshire Cactus Journal. 1 (1): 3. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  4. ^ Shurley, E. (September 1932). "The Inception of the Society" (PDF). The Cactus Journal. 1 (1): 9, 12. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  5. ^ "History". British Cactus & Succulent Society. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  6. ^ Horton, Helena; reporter, Helena Horton Environment (26 April 2024). "British succulent society chair quits over row about taking specimens from wild". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  7. ^ "CactusWorld". JSTOR. ITHAKA. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Bradleya". BioOne. Retrieved 28 January 2021.