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Gymnocalycium occultum
(Syn: Gymnocalycium stellatum subsp. occultum)
CACTUS ART
NURSERY

Cultivation and Mail Sale
of Cacti and Succulents.


Gymnocalycium occultum P131 Tres Puentes, Catamarca, Argentina 700m
This is one the
most unusual and desirable of the Gymnocalyciums.
 

Description: G. occultum (= G. stellatum)  is a beautiful, slowly-growing plant with a noticeably flatten body,  at first solitary, later clustering.
Stem: Dark grayish-brown to olive
-coloured epidermis, flattened globose, 7.5-10 cm in diameter.   It will offset after a considerable period of time.
Ribs: 7-11, flat
, round, without prominent chin-like protrusions.
Spines: 3-5
, dark brown, becoming grey with age, spider-like, add-pressed, short, straight to slightly curved and flattened against the stem (rarely sticking out - easy cactus to handle)
Flowers: Creamy-white with a
dull red throat, up to 6,5 cm. long, 4.5 cm. in diameter.
Fruit: Cylind
rical.
Blooming season: Flowers are produced in late spring and remain open for up to twelve days.
 

Two subspecies are recognized:
The “occultum” subspecies occurs in Catamarca.
The “stellatum” subspecies occurs in Cordoba.
 

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Gymnocalicyum stellatum complex

 


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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific name:  Gymnocalycium occultum Fric ex Schütz 1962

OriginArgentina Catamarca at low elevation.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:  
  • Gymnocalycium stellatum subsp. occultum (Frič ex Schütz) H.Till & W.Till, 1996
  • Gymnocalycium obductum Piltz,
    Pubblished in: Succulenta 69(4): 74-78 + title plate, 1990 = stellatum
  • Gymnocalycium stellatum (Speg.) Speg. 1925
  • Echinocactus stellatus Spegazzini
  • Gymnocalycium asterias Y-Ito
  • Gymnocalycium asterium A. castellanos 1957 (Illegitimate name)
  • Gymnocalycium stellatum ssp. asterium
 


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 gallery: Alphabetical listing of Cactus and Succulent pictures published in this site.

Photo gallery Gymnocalicium

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.