On the cover: The pollination of cactus flowers is accomplished by all manner of insects, of course, and many arborescent cacti have developed a mutualism with bats, who affect pollination of their large, white, nocturnal flowers. But some cacti have evolved brightly-colored tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds, who come to sip sweet nectar. Many such plants, and their zippy visitors, were encountered on the June 2008 CSSA field trip to the Brazilian states of Bahía and Minas Gerais. Susan Mahr captured this Penalto Hermit hummingbird visiting Micranthocereus polyanthus subspecies alvinii near Morro do Chapéu. More of her work is featured on pages 130–31.
This special issue is focussed on the unique succulent plants and habitats of the vast Brazilian wilderness. We hope it serves as a useful introduction to this increasingly popular destination for cactus exploration.

• Celebrating a tenth anniversary in Brazil Dan Mahr
• Thirty years on the byways of Brazil Nels Christianson
• Unusual habitats, unusual plants Eastern Brazil’s cactus habitats Leo A Martin & Gary James
• Cephalium-bearing globular cacti of eastern Brazil Part 1. Bahía Marlon C Machado
• There’s more than just cacti in eastern Brazil Some bromeliads we encountered Lee J Miller
• Some succulent trees of Bahía and Minas Gerais, Brazil Daniel L Mahr
• Apodanthera Caudiciform cucumbers of Bahía, Brazil Marlon C Machado
• Micrantohocereus A view from the field of a popular genus of columnar cacti Graham Charles
  
  

Online Supplement

Our May–June 2009 issue of Cactus and Succulent Journal is dedicated to the cacti of eastern Brazil as seen through the eyes of the paricipants of our recent 21-day field trip to the states of Minas Gerais and Bahía. Our special online content compliments the printed magazine with excerpts from the special issue and lots of images we couldn't show you in print