Illustrations of multiple cactus species

A composite of watercolors depicting several species of cacti found in North and South America. The illustrations are by noted botanical illustrator Mary Emily Eaton (1873-1961). Born in England and formally trained in art, Eaton began illustrating natural subjects while visiting family in Jamaica. She moved to New York in 1911 where she became the principal illustrator for The New York Botanical Garden, producing hundreds of plates. The illustration shown here comes from her illustration work for The Cactaceae by Britton & Rose, a publication on cactus taxonomy that is still considered an important scientific work today. Hundreds of Eaton’s works are part of the collections of the The New York Botanical Garden, the National Geographic Society, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Plate Number: 35
Publication: The Cactaceae Vol. 3 Pl. 5, Fig. 1,2,3 and 4 Client: Britton, N.L. and Rose, J.N. - Size: 11x14 Remarks: Matted and framed in W404, NHB.
Figure 1
Echinocereus engelmannii (Cactaceae) - Collection: Parish, S.B. s.n., U.S.A., California; top of flowering plant.
Artist: Eaton, Mary Emily - Date unknown - watercolor
Figure 2
Lobivia corbula (Cactaceae) - Collection: Rose, J.N. 19090, May 1916, Peru, Juliaca; flowering plant.
Artist: Eaton, Mary Emily - Date unknown - watercolor
Figure 3
Lobivia pentlandii (Cactaceae) - Collection: , May 1913, Bolivia; flowering plant. Artist: Eaton, Mary Emily - Date unknown - watercolor
Figure 4
Lobivia lateritia (Cactaceae) - Collection: Rose, J.N. s.n., 1915, Bolivia, La Paz; flowering plant.
Artist: Eaton, Mary Emily - Date unknown - watercolor