Origin and Habitat: Nuevo León (Northeast Mexico)
Type Locality: El Salitre, 760m, a valley north of Monterrey on the way to Bustamante.

• Turbinicarpus saueri subs. septentrionalis Matusz. & Šnicer

• Turbinicarpus saueri (Boed.) V.John & Říha
• Echinocactus saueri Boed.
• Gymnocactus saueri (Boed.) Backeb.
• Neolloydia sauerii (Boed.) F.M.Knuth
• Pediocactus saueri (Boed.) Halda
• Thelocactus saueri (Boed.) Borg
• Turbinicarpus saueri subs. nelissae Halda & Panar.
• Gymnocactus preenii (Glass) nov. comb. ined.
• Turbinicarpus preenii Glass

Description: Small cactus, usually solitary.
Stem: Up to 8 cm in diameter, firm, dark glaucous green, cylindrical in juvenile seedlings that gradually enlarges becoming flattened globose or disoidal when adult.
Rootstock: The basal underground part of the stem merges with the root forming a thick conical or turnip-like rootstock. Almost cylindrical at the young stage, later enlarged and branched
Areoles: Round to elongated, 3-5 x 2 mm
Tubercles: 4 mm wide and 7 mm tall, conical, densely packaged in into 8, 13 or 21 spiral rows.
Central spines: 0-1 in mature plants, 0-20 mm long, often lacking in juvenile phase, coming from the upper part of the areole, pale yellowish-brown when young, greyish brown to greyish black later.
Radial spines: 20 to 31, radiate or slightly pectinate when young, white to hyaline, 4-6 mm long.
Flower: Funnel shaped 27-33 mm in diameter, 30 mm tall, inner tepals in 2-3 circles, broadly lanceolate, acute, white with prominent violet mid-stripe.
Fruit: Dry.
Seeds: Tiny and black.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Kaktusy 40(3), 85-92, 2004 Turbi-Now 15: 28, 2004
2) Nathaniel Lord Britton, Joseph Nelson Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” vol. 4 The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923
3) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
4) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
5) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001

Cultivation and Propagation: Robust species to cultivate. It has a tap root, and watering it properly is often difficult and rot if over-watered. The fact that the plant retracts into the soil between watering, is perfectly natural and doesn’t cause any damage. keep dry in winter or when night temperatures remain below 10° C, it is hardy to -4°C for a short period. Assure a good ventilation.
Exposures: Full sun where it obtains a flat natural looking or part sun.
Reproduction: From seed, since the plant rarely produces plantlets, or grafted.