Accepted Scientific Name: Gymnocalycium taningaense Piltz
Kakteen Sukk. 41(2): 26 1990
Origin and Habitat: Argentina, San Luis (Sierra Yulto, Sierra del Portezuelo, Sierra del Morro, Sierra San Luis, etc.)
Altitude: 700-1110 metres above sea level.
Type locality: Sierra del Morro, 900 m, Argentina.
Habitat: Gymnocalycium lukasikiiSN|13754]]SN|25312]] grows almost submerged in flat terrains on foot-hills in a shallow layer of sandy soil among stones or on rock crevices filled with soil. Accompanying cactus species can be: Gymnocalycium monvilleiSN|16398]]SN|11438]] ssp. Achirasense, Gymnocalycium lukasikiiSN|25312]]SN|25312]] ssp. emilii, Gymnocalycium berchtiiSN|11438]]SN|16398]], Gymnocalycium ochoterenaeSN|25312]]SN|13754]], Acanthocalycium spiniflorumSN|74]]SN|74]], Echinopsis aureaSN|10643]]SN|10643]], Notocactus submammulosusSN|20042]]SN|20042]] and Opuntia sulphureaSN|32053]]SN|32053]]. The climate is warm and dry with summer rains and has great temperature variations and high average precipitations.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Gymnocalycium taningaense
Description: Gymnocalycium lukasikiiSN|25309]]SN|25312]] is a small species discovered in 1989. It has brownish-grey stems with large protruding areoles and creamy-white flowers. The spines are brownish thin but firm, directed sideward and downward. G. Charles et Detlev Metzing put it in synonymy with Gymnocalycium taningaenseSN|25312]]SN|25309]].
Habit: It is a small cactus barely rising above ground level, usually solitary in habitat, but often branching basally in cultivation and forming clusters.
Roots: Fibrous roots.
Stems: Flattened globose, crown slightly depressed, grey-green to brownish-grey, 4,5-6 cm in diameter and less than 2,5 cm tall (in cultivation up to 4 cm)
Ribs: 9-11, shallow, up to 12 mm wide, with weak chinlike protrusions.
Areoles: Rounded, slightly sunken, 2-3 mm in diameter, white tomentose, 5-7 mm apart.
Spines: Creamy-brown to greyish brown darker at the base, later grey, thin, but hard, needle-like, straight to slightly curved.
Central spines: Often wanting
Radial spines: 5-7 (Or more), pointing sideways or downward, 3-8 (or more) mm long.
Flowers: Slender cream-white, about 5 cm long, 4 cm in diameter.
Fruits: Usually oval to club shaped, blue-green, with a grey-bluish pruine coat.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Gymnocalycium taningaense group
Gymnocalycium taningaense Piltz: has greys-green stems barely rising above ground level. Radial spines 7-11reddish brown pointing sideward or downward. Centralls 1-3. Distribution: Argentina, Córdoba and San Luis.- Gymnocalycium taningaense var. lukasikii (Halda & Kupčák) Neuhuber: has brownish-grey stems barely rising above ground level and creamy-white flowers. Distribution: Sierra del Morro, San Luis, Argentina.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten (41)2: 22 1990
2) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
3) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
4) Schütziana 2(2011)1
5) Demaio, P. & Trevisson, M. 2013. Gymnocalycium taningaense. In: IUCN 2013. "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species." Version 2013.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 05 January 2014.
Cultivation and Propagation: Gymnocalycium taningaenseSN|25309]]SN|25309]] is a summer grower species that is easy to cultivate.
Growth rate: It is a relatively rapidly growing and easily flowering species that will make clumps given the best conditions.
Soils: It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil. pH neutral or acidic, avoid substrata rich in limestone.
Repotting: Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: Needs moderate to copious waterings in summer, but do not overwater (Rot prone), keep dry in winter.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Hardiness: Reputedly somewhat resistant to frost if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather (hardy to -5 C ° C, or less for short periods).
Exposition: Outside bright but filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame or outdoor in a rockery.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the plants from above.
- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem.
- Rot: Rot it is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much.
Propagation: Division, direct sow after last frost. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove gradually the glass cover as soon the plants will be well rooted (ca 1-2 weeks) and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants! To make a cutting twist off a branch and permit it to dry out a couple of weeks, lay it on the soil and insert the stem end partially into the soil. Try to keep the cutting somewhat upright so that the roots are able to grow downward.
