Moon Cactus

A watercolor of Harris martinis, sometimes referred to as Harrisia cactus or moon cactus. It is a species of cactus that flowers at night. It is native to South America and is listed as an invasive species in parts of Australia. This illustration is by award-winning 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: 1784
Publication: The Cactaceae Vol. 2 Pl. 20, Fig. 2 Client: Britton, N.L. and Rose, J.N. - Size: 11x14
Harrisia martinii (Cactaceae) - Collection: , U.S.A., New York Botanical Garden; flowering branch.
Artist: Eaton, Mary Emily - 22 May 1912 - watercolor