Gymnocalycium kieslingii

Description

Gymnocalycium kieslingii is a species of plant in the genus Gymnocalycium of the cactus family (Cactaceae). The specific epithet kieslingii honors the Argentine botanist and cacti specialist Roberto Kiesling (1941). Gymnocalycium kieslingii grows individually with grey-green, flattened to depressed spherical shoots that reach heights of growth of up to 2 centimeters with a diameter of 6 to 9 centimeters. The twelve (rarely 9 to 13) low ribs are rounded and divided into humps by distinct furrows. The five to nine slightly curved, whitish spines are pink at their base. They lie on the shoot surface and are 5 to 8 millimeters long. The bell-shaped to funnel-shaped, white flowers reach a length of up to 6 centimeters and a diameter of 5 to 6 centimeters. The spindle-shaped fruits are up to 3.5 centimeters long and have a diameter of 1 centimeter. Gymnocalycium kieslingii is found in the Argentine province of La Rioja at altitudes of 500 to 1500 meters. The first description was in 1985 by Omar Ferrari.