Gymnos in habitat
Gymnocalycium kroenleinii Kiesling, Rausch & Ferrari
Gymnocalycium kroenleinii was discovered by Roberto Kiesling, Walter Rausch and Omar Ferrari in November 1987 during an excursion to the Sierra de Malanzán (Prov. La Rioja, Argentina). It was first described in 2000, in the magazine "Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten" (Cacti and Other Succulents), 51(12): 316. The plants were disseminated as field number WR 805 (Walter Rausch) in European collections.
Gymnocalycium kroenleinii is a very specific taxon which can be distinguished from other species of the subgenus Gymnocalycium by its pronounced protuberances and spherical fruit. It appears the species is endemic to the Sierra de Malanzán, up to now no locations were found in other regions. I also found Lobivia aurea and Opuntia sulphurea in the same region.
The species was named after Marcel Kroenlein (1928 - 1994), the long-time director of the Jardin Exotique Monaco.
