An account is given of the succulents depicted in two unpublished folio volumes of water colour paintings of plants cultivated by the Duchess of Beaufort at Badminton during the late 1600s and early 1700s. The history of the plant collections at Badminton is discussed and the succulents illustrated by the Dutch artist Kychicus and by others are identified. Many exotic species are shown to have been introduced to cultivation in Britain earlier than previously recorded.

This is the fifth and final instalment of an annotated list of Mammillaria names, continued from Bradleya 4:39–64 (1986). The article concludes with a classified list of recognized species and subordinate taxa.

Thelocactus bicolor and T. hexaedrophorus are compared to Ferocactus hamatacanthus and Hamatocactus setispinus in 19 characters. H. setispinus has a greater similarity to T. bicolor than to the other 2 species and is placed in Thelocactus as T. setispinus (comb. nov.). The following characteristics of Thelocactus are discussed: ribs and tubercles, areoles, spines and extrafloral nectaries, epidermis, outer cell layers, druses and crystals, flowers, pollen, fruits, and seeds. Ecological characteristics, such as distribution, soils, habitat characteristics, sympatry, and associated plants, are described. The relationships and general features of each species are considered. In the section on formal taxonomy Thelocactus is redefined to include T. setispinus, T. bicolor, T. leucacanthus, T. macdowellii, T. tulensis, T. hastifer, T. conothelos, T. heterochromus, T. hexaedrophorus, T. lausseri, and T. rinconensis.

An historical and ecological survey of the stapeliads native to Europe is presented, and each illustrated. The circumscription of the Arabian Caralluma hexagona is discussed and its limits expanded to include C. shadhbana and C. foulcheridelboscii as synonyms. A description, illustrations and distributional data are given.

A background is given to the account of the Cactaceae compiled by the authors for European Garden Flora, volume 3 (in press). This is followed by notes on the treatment of particular genera, including 54 new combinations.

Brief notes, supplementing and emending the author's ‘Review of Ferocactus’ (1984), are presented for 7 species, based on recent field studies. F. lindsayi is reclassified in F. sect. Ferocactus, F. pottsii Group.

The classification to be used in forthcoming treatments of Rhipsalis and allied genera (Cactaceae subtribe Rhipsalidinae Britton & Rose) is briefly explained, and 26 new names proposed.

Bibliographical details of an additional 23 serial publications devoted to succulents are given, supplementing an earlier list (Eggli, 1985).

Additional information, supplementing Eggli's ‘A Bibliography of Succulent Plant Periodicals’, is supplied from material in the author's private library.