|
Perhaps the most unusual and desirable of the
Gymnocalyciums.
|
Description: Gymnocacalycium ragonesei is a
very small, slowly growing
(usually) solitary cactus.
Stem: Dark grayish-brown to olive coloured epidermis, flattened, up
to 7.5 cm in diameter.
Spines: Short pale spines flattened against cacti (rarely
sticking out - easy cactus to handle)
Flowers: Creamy-white with a reddish throat, up to 5 cm. long,
4.5cm. diameter.
Blooming season: Flowers are produced in late spring and remain
open for up to twelve days.
|
|
Photo
and © copyright by
Andrea
B. (Bologna, Italy)
http://www.cactusfriends.com/Andrea/index.html |
Cultivation: This Gymnocalycium is supposed to be one of
the most difficult species in cultivation,
and very slow to get to a
reasonable size. It will offset after a considerable period of time.
It is a summer growing species that needs
regular water in summer (but do not over-water ).
Keep rather dry in
winter.
This plant does not like extremely bright situations. Give
it some shade during the hottest part of the day. Keep this plant in a
low PH compost; otherwise growth will stop altogether.
Feed it with a high
potassium fertilizer in summer.
It is quite frost resistant if kept dry (hardy to -5° C)
Propagation: Direct sow after last frost.(seldom
produces offsets)
Photo of
conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of
plants belonging to the
Gymnocalicyum stellatum
complex
|
|
|
Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family) |
|
|
|
Scientific name:
Gymnocalycium ragonesei
A Castellanos,
Published in: Lilloa 23: 5-13, 1950
The species name is spelled ragonesii or ragonesei,
but the Kew Index lists it as ragonesei.
Etymology: It is named after its collector whose name was
Ragonese.
Origin:
Argentina (Catamarca, Cordoba) at low elevation.
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
|
Synonyms:
- Gymnocalycium obductum Piltz,
Pubblished in: Succulenta 69(4): 74-78 + title
plate, 1990 = stellatum
|
|
|
|
Cultivation and Mail Sale 
