We recently described the genetic basis of self-incompatibility (SI) in cacti. This finding shifts attention to the patterns of distribution of RNase-based SI, its breakdown and transitions to self-compatibility (SC), as well as the relevant evolutionary processes and the causes of breeding systems variation and their consequences for lineage diversification. Integrating the key sources of data, I show that initial results support a familiar result: SI is associated with higher net diversification rates.