Xerophyte

Central Spines

1-2, often wanting, to 11 mm long pointed downward, reddish-brown to grey, darker at the base, also needle weak.

Seeds

About 1,2 to 1,4 mm long, 1,0 to 1,2 mm wide, dull black.

Description

Gymnocalycium taningaenseSN|16401]]SN|25309]] is a small cactus barely rising above ground level, usually solitary in habitat, but often branching basally in cultivation and forming clusters. It differs from the related Gymnocalycium calochlorumSN|25309]]SN|16401]] for the yellow throat of the flower (Red in calochlorum), for the slender narrower flower tube and for the bigger sized seeds.

Roots

Fibrous roots.

Flowers

Slender white with yellowish throats, 4-5,5 cm long, 3-4,5 cm in diameter. Pericarpel 1,4 to 2 cm long, 4-7 mm wide, olive to dark green, frosted. Scales approx. 4 mm wide and 3 mm long, semicircular with whitish tips. Outer perianth segments 15-22 mm long, 5 mm wide, obtusely lanceolate, white with a pale brownish middle stripe inside and outside, the inner perianth segments up to 20 mm long, up to 3 mm wide, acute-lanceolate, white, pale yellow at the base. Filaments up to 1 cm long, greenish-yellow, anthers yellow, round, 0,5-1 mm long. Pistil pale green, almost white on top, 10-12 mm long, stigma lobes usually 8 to 4 mm long, white to yellow, nectar chamber about 2 mm high, tubular, pale pink.

Spines

Reddish brown to greyish brown darker at the base, later grey, thin, needle-like, straight to slightly curved.

Ribs

9-11, shallow, up to 12 mm wide, with weak chinlike protrusions.

Stem

Flattened globose, crown slightly depressed, grey-green with a silky sheen, 4,5-6 cm in diameter and less than 2,5 cm tall (in cultivation up to 4 cm)

Radial Spines

7-10, pointing sideways or downward, 3-8 mm long.

Fruits

15-30 cm long, usually oval to club shaped, blue-green, with a grey-bluish pruine coat, splitting open by one to three longitudinal cracking.

Areoles

Rounded, slightly sunken, 2-3 mm in diameter, white tomentose, 5-7 mm apart.