Gymnocalycium, commonly called chin cactus, is a genus of about 70 South American species of cactus. The genus name Gymnocalycium (from Greek, "naked calyx") refers to the flower buds bearing no hair or spines.

Gymnocalycium
Gymnocalycium baldianium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Cereeae
Subtribe: Rebutiinae
Genus: Gymnocalycium
Pfeiff. ex Mittler
Species

About 70, see article

Synonyms

Brachycalycium Backeb.

Description edit

The species of the genus Gymnocalycium are low-growing, usually solitary or sometimes small cushion-forming plants with globose, depressed-globular to short-cylindrical stems. The 4 to 15 (rarely more) ribs are usually broadly rounded, often sinuous, occasionally warty, and often have a "chin" just below the areoles. The thorns are very variable.

The diurnal, funnel- or bell-shaped flowers appear at or near the apex. They are white or pink, sometimes yellow or bright red. The flower cup and the corolla are covered with a few large, broad and obtuse scales that have membranous edges. The areoles are bare. The perianth is usually spread.

The stamens form two circles. The first surrounds the nectar chamber, the second is attached near the opening of the corolla. The oblong to spherical fruits are dry or fleshy and spring up in various ways. A permanent flower residue adheres to them. The seeds are very variable. Their color ranges from brown to black, the size from quite small to relatively very large.

In cultivation they are popular for their easy flowering habits, and the flowers are generally brightly colored.[1]

Species edit

Species of the genus Gymnocalycium according to Plants of the World Online as of August 2023:[2]

Image Scientific name Distribution
Gymnocalycium affine Řepka Argentina (Córdoba)
Gymnocalycium alboareolatum Rausch Argentina (La Rioja)
Gymnocalycium alenae Kulhánek Argentina (Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium amerhauseri H.Till Argentina (Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium andreae (Boed.) Backeb. & F.M.Knuth Argentina (Córdoba)
Gymnocalycium angelae Mereg. Argentina (Corrientes)
  Gymnocalycium anisitsii (K.Schum.) Britton & Rose Bolivia to Paraguay
Gymnocalycium × applanatum Řepka & Frélich (G. capillense × G. ochoterenae) Argentina (Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium baldianum (Speg.) Speg. Argentina.
Gymnocalycium basiatrum F.Berger, Amerh. & Sedlmeier Argentina (La Rioja)
  Gymnocalycium bayrianum Till ex H.Till Argentina (Salta, Tucumán)
  Gymnocalycium berchtii Neuhuber Argentina (San Luis)
  Gymnocalycium bodenbenderianum (Hosseus ex A.Berger) A.Berger Argentina (to NW. Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium bruchii (Speg.) Hosseus Argentina (San Luis, Córdoba)
Gymnocalycium cabreraense Schädlich, Bercht & Melojer Paraguay
  Gymnocalycium calochlorum (Boed.) Y.Itô Argentina (Córdoba)
Gymnocalycium campestre Řepka Argentina (Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium capillense (Schick) Hosseus Argentina (Córdoba, San Luis)
  Gymnocalycium castellanosii Backeb. Argentina (La Rioja, San Luis)
Gymnocalycium chacoense Amerh. Bolivia (Santa Cruz)
Gymnocalycium chiquitanum Cárdenas Bolivia.
  Gymnocalycium denudatum (Link & Otto) Pfeiff. ex Mittler S. Brazil to Argentina (Misiones, Corrientes)
  Gymnocalycium erinaceum J.G.Lamb. Argentina (Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium esperanzae Řepka & Kulhánek Argentina (La Rioja)
  Gymnocalycium eurypleurum F.Ritter Paraguay
  Gymnocalycium gibbosum (Haw.) Pfeiff. ex Mittler Argentina.
  Gymnocalycium glaucum F.Ritter Argentina.
  Gymnocalycium horstii Buining Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul).
Gymnocalycium hossei (F.Haage) A.Berger Argentina
Gymnocalycium kieslingii O.Ferrari Argentina (La Rioja, Santiago del Estero).
Gymnocalycium kroenleinii R.Kiesling, Rausch & O.Ferrari Argentina (La Rioja).
Gymnocalycium kuehhasii Neuhuber & R.Sperling Argentina (Córdoba).
Gymnocalycium kulhanekii Papsch Argentina (Córdoba)
Gymnocalycium marekiorum Milt Bolivia (Santa Cruz)
  Gymnocalycium marsoneri Frič ex Y.Itô Argentina (to Chaco)
Gymnocalycium mendozaense C.A.L.Bercht & Schädlich Paraguay.
  Gymnocalycium mesopotamicum R.Kiesling Argentina (Corrientes)
  Gymnocalycium mihanovichii (Frič & Gürke) Britton & Rose Paraguay to Argentina (Chaco, Formosa)
Gymnocalycium × momo V.Gapon & Schelkun. (G. monvillei × G. mostii.) Argentina (Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium monvillei (Lem.) Pfeiff. ex Britton & Rose Argentina (to Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium mostii (Gürke) Britton & Rose Argentina (Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium neuhuberi H.Till & W.Till Argentina (San Luis)
  Gymnocalycium nigriareolatum Backeb. Argentina (Catamarca, La Rioja)
  Gymnocalycium ochoterenae Backeb. Argentina (San Luis, Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium oenanthemum Backeb. Argentina (Catamarca)
  Gymnocalycium paediophylum Schütz Paraguay.
  Gymnocalycium paraguayense (K.Schum.) Hosseus Paraguay.
  Gymnocalycium pflanzii (Vaupel) Werderm. Bolivia to Paraguay.
Gymnocalycium pinalii Mereg. & Kulhánek Argentina (Córdoba)
Gymnocalycium ponomarevae V.Gapon & Neuhuber Argentina (Catamarca)
  Gymnocalycium quehlianum (F.Haage ex H.Quehl) Vaupel ex Hosseus Argentina (Córdoba).
  Gymnocalycium ragonesei A.Cast. Argentina (Catamarca, Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium reductum (Link) Pfeiff. ex Mittler Argentina (Buenos Aires)
Gymnocalycium rhodantherum (Boed.) H.Till Argentina (Salta, La Rioja, San Juan)
Gymnocalycium ritterianum Rausch Argentina (La Rioja).
  Gymnocalycium robustum R.Kiesling, O.Ferrari & Metzing Argentina (Córdoba: near Quilino)
  Gymnocalycium saglionis (Cels) Britton & Rose Argentina
Gymnocalycium sanluisense Neuhuber Argentina (San Luis).
  Gymnocalycium schickendantzii (F.A.C.Weber) Britton & Rose Argentina (San Luis).
  Gymnocalycium schroederianum Osten Argentina to Uruguay.
  Gymnocalycium spegazzinii Britton & Rose Argentina.
  Gymnocalycium stenopleurum F.Ritter SE. Bolivia to N. Paraguay.
Gymnocalycium striglianum Jeggle ex H.Till Argentina (Mendoza, San Luis)
Gymnocalycium taningaense Piltz Argentina (San Luis, Córdoba)
  Gymnocalycium uebelmannianum Rausch Argentina (La Rioja)
  Gymnocalycium uruguayense (Arechav.) Britton & Rose S. Brazil to Uruguay
Gymnocalycium victorii Neuhuber Argentina (San Luis)
Gymnocalycium volskyi V.Gapon, Ponomareva, Protopopov, Schelkun. & Zaitseva Uruguay

Distribution edit

Their main area of distribution is Argentina, part of Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and part of Brazil.[2]

Gallery edit

References edit

  1. ^ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. p. 308–330. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  2. ^ a b "Gymnocalycium Pfeiff. ex Mittler". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2023-08-05.

External links edit