A01=Dan Torre
Age Group_Uncategorized
Age Group_Uncategorized
Author_Dan Torre
automatic-update
Category1=Non-Fiction
Category=WMP
Category=WMPM
Category=WNP
COP=United Kingdom
Delivery_Delivery within 10-20 working days
eq_bestseller
eq_home-garden
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
Language_English
PA=Available
Price_€20 to €50
PS=Active
softlaunch
Product details
- ISBN 9781780237220
- Weight: 567g
- Dimensions: 216 x 138mm
- Publication Date: 01 Apr 2017
- Publisher: Reaktion Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
- Language: English
Secure
checkout
Fast Shipping
Easy returns
Cacti are full of contradictions. They can be found in some of the harshest, driest and most barren environments on earth, yet some are delicate tropical plants that grow high among the branches of the rainforest canopy. Many cacti bristle with ferocious-looking spines, while others are completely bare. Nearly all exhibit remarkable floral displays – some having flowers that are even larger than the plant itself.
Cacti have played a prominent role in human history for thousands of years. Some species were revered by ancient civilizations, playing a part in their religious ceremonies; other varieties have been heavily cultivated for food or for the production of the bright red dye cochineal – which is actually derived from a parasitic insect that feeds on the prickly pear cactus. Native to the American continents, cacti have spread worldwide and have become an important feature in many gardens and collections. Although not often in the culinary forefront of people’s minds, a number of varieties of cacti are delicious to eat – ‘dragon fruit’, produced by the cactus species Hylocereus undatus, is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular tropical treats.
Cactus explores the natural, cultural and social history of cacti, and their representation throughout the world in literature, cinema, animation, art and design, and popular culture. This is a highly original, entertaining and richly illustrated book that will appeal to everyone with an interest in cacti.
Dan Torre is Senior Lecturer in the School of Design at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. His writing and research span a range of topics including design, animation and botanical studies. He is an avid grower and collector of plants, and the author of Cactus (2017) and Carnivorous Plants (2019), both published by Reaktion Books.
