Species Notes:Comment from Alexander Arzberger -See his photos below...
There are many publications about this extremly variable species. In a single location, you can find all forms of plants with different number, form and length of spines, number and form of rips etc. The population here presented, shows extra long spines and easily you could name them as "var. longispina".
The habitat is a large rock of sandstone at 240 m height and is located directly above a little swamp, crossed by a creek. The Gymnocalyciums grow mostly exposed to full sun, or sometimes under small brushes and between grass, or moss.
At my visit after a heavy rain, I found some cacti directly in puddles - an incredible view!
This Gymnocalycium makes a lot of sprouts and forms large groups with 20-30 heads. The more shaded growing plants seem to get bigger with a less tendency to sprout. The habitat has an extension of only aprox. 1000m2, with no presence of other cacti.
The climate is subtropic and warm near all the year. Also during the "winter", you will find all plants well hidrated and very firmly with no shrivelling. In only very few nights, the temperatures could go down until 2ÂșC, but the dark rocks act as an accumulator, keeping the plants at a little higher temperature, forming a special microclimate.
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