CSSA VOL.78, January-February 2006 No.1 Research & Conservation Report Donna Woodward In search of Socotrella Miroslav Ricanek & Pavel Hanacek Aloe alexandrei A surprisingly unknown new species from the island of Grande Comore Anthon Ellert Special Conservation Report: The threat that invasive weeds and wildfires pose to our North American desert biomes Part 2: The Sonoran Saguaros Jan Emming Lucretia Breazeale Hamilton botanical illustrator extraordinaire Larry W Mitich Bromeliads in the desert: Hechtia Kenneth Quinn Succulent and Xeromorphic Bromeliads of Brazil Part 2: Orthophytum horridum, Dyckia paucispina, & Bromelia estevesii Pierre J Braun & Eddie Esteves Pereira Observations on three poorly known aloes from Eritrea Aloe schoelleri, Aloe steudneri & Aloe eumassawana Ghebrehiwet Medhanie & Mario Dioli Succulents on Stamps Euphorbiaceae, Part 1 Peg Spaete On the cover. Cylindropuntia bigelovii (aka, Teddy Bear Cholla or Jumping Cholla) is widespread in the American Southwest and Baja California. Its fierce, hooked spines and readily detachable stem segments make for a nasty close-up encounter, but hoarders of water in this environment must be heavily armed. Douglas Basco photographed this beautiful specimen on a stormy spring day in April in the moon-like landscape of the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. For travelers of the past, this area of south-western Arizona was called the Highway of Death or Devil's Highway due to the lack of springs or dependable water supply. Only sparsely located and naturally formed shaded rock basins hold limited amounts of rain water to support wildlife and an occasional traveler in this hellfire environment. And yet some of our beloved plants call this land home. The US Boarder Patrol maintains local dirt roads, and special permits are required to enter the area, but it is recommended that you visit this area only during the cooler months of the year.