Origin and Habitat: Mexico Northeast (vicinity of Bustamante,Tamaulipas)

• Turbinicarpus saueri subs. nelissae Halda & Panar.
• Gymnocactus preenii (Glass) nov. comb. ined.
• Turbinicarpus preenii Glass

• 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: Flat, globose, 7-8 cm wide, 6-7 cm tall, but often in cultivation plants develop an elongated shape and grow up to 10 (or more) cm tall.
Tubercle: 4-angled, 5 mm long.
Areoles: Young areoles with white down.
Root: Tap root.
Spines: 1 stiff central, grey-coloured, ivory with a black tip, 1-3,5 cm long; 8 to 16 radials, 5-10 mm long.
Flowers: Funnel shaped, creamy white, with pinkish mid-stripes, 2 cm long. In January-April.
Fruit: 6 mm long, splitting at maturity.

Notes: Turbinicarpus saueri ssp. nelissae At beginning, Charles Glass referred to this undescribed species as sp. or var. nov. "preenii" (also spelled as "preemii" for a while). However, in 1998 it was formally described as T. saueri ssp. nelissae by Halda and Panarotto. The sub-specific name come from "Nelissa Panarotto" the daughter of Paolino Panarotto - Italian nurseryman, expert of Turbinicarpus.
This plant is also the hybridparent of:
Turbinicarpus x amabilis Halda & Panar. Acta Mus. Richnov., Sect. Nat. 10(2): 162 (fig. 27). 2003
Turbinicarpus x azanthus Halda & Panar. Acta Mus. Richnov., Sect. Nat. 10(2): 165. 2003
Turbinicarpus x concinnus Halda & Panar. Acta Mus. Richnov., Sect. Nat. 10(2): 168. 2003

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
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

Cultivation and Propagation: Robust species to cultivate. Requires full sun and careful watering to keep plant compact and low. It has a tap root, and watering it properly is often difficult, as it tends to crack open or rot if over-watered.