People

Fraile, Manuel: The person to whom the genus Frailea is named. He was born at Salamanca, Spain, in 1850, and for many years he has diligently cared for the cactus collection in the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
Buining, Alfred F.H. (Albert Frederik Hendrik Buining, 25 august 1901 - 9 may 1976): A Dutch public servant whose culture and love of cactusses began when he was only 18. From 1940-1968 he was chairman of the Dutch cactus-society "Succulenta". In 1950, he also helped found the I.O.S. (The International Organization for Succulent Plant Study. For an informative page on this event, including his foto, see: http://www.iosweb.org/history.html.)

In the early 60's, Alfred Buining, along with John D. Donald (English) and the F. Ritter (German), contributes to the re-classification of the genus Rebutia.

In 1966 he began his botanical trips to South America, especial Brazil. A creative and prolific worker, Mr Buining published more than 130 first descriptions and his seminal monograph about the genus "Discocactus". Sadly he dies on the 9th of may 1976, just before the publication of his monograph. For those of us who continue to study and enjoy these elegant plants, it must be said that "We stand on the shoulders of giants!"
More info regarding the genus "Discocactus" can be found at: http://www.discocactus.nl/index.htm