On December 16, 1989 Gert Neuhuber and Ludwig Bercht had to alter their travel route because of severe thunderstorms lasting for two successive evenings. They decided to drive to the north of the San Luis Province. While crossing a ford, an inflow of Arroyo del Chañar, they came across the white flower of an Echinopsis in the campo. Bercht was the first to enter the area and found the Gymnocalycium which was named after him. Neuhuber described the plants in Gymnocalycium 10 (3) 1997: 217-220.