According to the classification Salm'a, several changes in the book Foerster – Ryumplera, cactus family is divided into two groups: Tubuliflorae and Rotatiflorae. Visit Sela Ward for more clarity on the issue. The first group is characterized by a tubular perianth, the second – rotate. Cacti with a tubular perianth divided into 4 tribes: Melocacteae, childbirth: Anhalonium, Pelecyphora, Mamillaria, Melocactus: Echinocactus, childbirth: Discocactus, Malococarpus, Astrophytum and Echinocactus: Cereastreae, childbirth: Leuchtenbergia, Echinopsis, Pilocereus, Cereus and Echinocereus: Phyllocacteae, childbirth: Phyllocactus, Epiphillum and Disisocactus. Group of cacti with rotate perianth is divided into three tribes: Rhipsalideae, childbirth: Rhipsalis, Pfeiffera and Lepismium: Opuntieae, with the genus Opuntia and Peirescieae the genus Peireskia. Thus, all the family is divided into 7 tribes and 21 of the race. The basis of division into tribes and genera are indications, taken on the position and structure of the flower, fruit and vegetative organs (presence, absence and degree of development of leaves), and species are distinguished by the form of the stem, orozdkam and ribs, leaf cushions, cushions for carrying needles, the length, position and number of which also draws attention.

The number of all species described to date, extends to the thousands: but, says Ballon, probably their least two thirds of that number. Many of them, or variety, or random deviations from the species type, yet not always sufficiently specific. Regarding the situation of cacti in the dicotyledons in general, and their immediate kinship with other plant groups of the same class, there are several views, is not consonant with each other. It was noted above that cacti alike in with currant, with whom they agree the structure of the flower and fruit, but different, among other things, avoidance of detail and development of the inner parts of the ovary. The famous English botanist Bentham and Hooker say that cactuses is difficult to pull together with any family, even though in many ways they approaching Ficoideae (ordo nulli arcte aftinis, sed Ficoideis multis notis accedens). But against rapprochement with cacti mezembriantemami vozstaet Eichler, arguing that the similarity of the flower of cactus and mezembriantemov is purely external, and harmony in the structure of the ovary only apparent, For a cactus wall placenta are at the very beginning of their education, while mezembriantema they are to first settled, and are only after the second shift. In spite, however, the opinion Eichler Ballon, a ix volume of his 'Histoire des plantes', published in 1886, taking into account the similarities and differences between cactus and , still inclined to the view that the nearest sister groups of cacti are the Cucurbitaceae, Aristolochiaceae and especially Mesembryantemeae and Portulacaceae, – an opinion which held more Adanson.