Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
Scientific name: Gymnocalycium ritterianum
Rausch
In: KuaS 23(7): 180-181, 1972
Synonyms:
- Gymnocalycium riteranum
- Gymnocalycium famatimensis Rausch nom. nud.
Origin: Argentina (La Rioja)
Etymology: Ritter and Rausch are two explorers who played
major roles in finding and cataloguing the
cacti of South America . With this species, one
commemorates the other.
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Description: It
is a variable small cactus, usually solitary
to occasionally clustering.
Stem: Flattened,
discoidal 4-4 cm tall, 8-11 cm in diameter, clear grey-green,
that tinges reddish in full sun.
Ribs: 10-12, with tranverse furrows, divided in pronounced
humped, chin-like tubercles.
Spines: 7-9, up to 2,5 cm long, white,
yellow or pink/brown, curved against the
plants body, one directed downward , others to the sides
Central spine: None, or sometimes one,
straight, rigid, curving backward.
Flowers: Near the apex, up to 6,5 cm long and 7,7 cm in diameter,
usually satiny white with rosy to violet
throats, but also pure white, pink
or red
Blooming season: Flowers appear recurrently from April to autumn.
Fruit: Pear shaped, bluish.
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Cultivation: It
is a summer grower species that offers no cultivation difficulties.
Water regularly in summer (but do not overwater ) Keep this plant almost dry in winter at a minimum
temperature of 0°C, prefer relatively rich substrate and
low pH
compost (if possible not limestone) otherwise
growth will stop altogether. Feed with a high
potassium fertilizer in summer. It is quite frost resistant if kept dry
(hardy to -5° C)
Sun Exposure: Light shade. It may tolerate
bright situations but is
likely to suffer from sun scorch or stunted growth if over exposed to
direct sunlight
during the hottest part of the day in summer. This plant needs plenty of space for
its roots, repotting should be done every other year or when the
it has outgrown its pot. This species is particularly
easy and accommodating, seldom suffer of
cryptogamic diseases.
Propagation: Direct sow after
last frost. (seldom
produces offsets)
Seed
Collecting: Permit
fruit to
ripen.
Fruit must be significantly
overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds
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