Xerophyte

Central Spines

Absent.

Note

Gymnocalycium alboareolatum was published by Rausch, in Succulenta 64(10)

The species name means 'white areoles' from Latin 'albus', white and Latin 'areola', areole.

Flowers

Silver-white on the outside, pink inside, outer perianth segments with a green stripe to 6.5 cm long and 4.5 cm in diameter.

Ribs

9-11, straight with well-defined chinlike protrusions to up to 1 cm in height.

Stem

Solitary, spherical-flattened, to 6 cm in diameter, gray-green, glaucous, barely rising above ground level with a swollen underground root system.

Radial Spines

6-7, bent, curving back toward the body, hard, brown, 1 cm in length.

Fruits

Oval, to club shaped, blue-green, glaucous, 25-30 mm long.

Areoles

Quite large, 5 mm thick, with thick white hair.