Synonyms

Echinocactus pflanzii*, Gymnocalycium pflanzii ssp. pflanzii, Gymnocalycium pflanzii var. albipulpa, Gymnocalycium pflanzii ssp. argentinense, Gymnocalycium chuquisacanum, Gymnocalycium comarapense, Gymnocalycium izozogsii, Gymnocalycium pflanzii var. izozogsii, Gymnocalycium lagunillaense, Gymnocalycium pflanzii var. lagunillaense, Gymnocalycium marquezii, Gymnocalycium millaresii, Gymnocalycium pflanzii ssp. millaresii, Gymnocalycium pflanzii var. millaresii, Gymnocalycium riograndense, Gymnocalycium pflanzii var. riograndense, Gymnocalycium zegarrae, Gymnocalycium pflanzii ssp. zegarrae
* Basionym

Distribution

Argentina (Salta, Tucumán), Bolivia (Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Potosí, Santa Cruz, Tarija), Paraguay (Alto Paraguay, Boquerón)

Conservation status

(3)   Least Concern, LC

Comments

Gymnocalycium pflanzii (Vaupel) Werdermann includes Gymnocalycium zegarrae Cárdenas, as in Anderson (2001, 358) and Gymnocalycium pflanzii ssp. argentinense H. Till & W. Till. The distinctive characters of the latter two taxa, compared to G. pflanzii are labile. The first is distinguished by the white pulp and the vertical splitting of the ripe fruit vs. red pulp and horizontal splitting in G. pflanzii, as well as a distribution further north (Charles 2009, 184.189). For ssp. argentinense it is really hard to find distinctions in habitat, and even Charles (ibid., 186) admits that the taxon is poorly differentiated and that it could be included in G. pflanzii. The major difference observed consists in the disjunct disitribution of the taxon, which is about 300 km away from other populations of G. pflanzii. As already noted (Anceschi y Magli 2013a, 7: 38), the reason why the spatial continuity,which usually exists between the various populations that constitute a natural species, is broken may be different (populations that yet recognized, or that are extinct). However, the fact remains that the olomorphological characters of the two taxa are the same. The distinction of the fruit of G. zegarrae and G. pflanzii should be considered in the context of the natural variability that can distinguish some populations of a widespread species, such as G. pflanzii, in some of the discrete areas of its distribution. In addition, in classifications, any distinction based on a single character is to be considered artificial. Conceived in this way, G. pflanzii takes on the characteristics of the dominant species of the genus Gymnocalycium, on the east end of the Chaco system. Populations are numerous and widespread from the provinces of Tucumán and Salta in Argentina, albeit with the mentioned void, to the Provinces of Tarija, Chuquisaca and Santa Cruz in Bolivia, going east to the Paraguayan Chaco in the Dept. Boquerón over the P. N. Tnte Enciso and Estancia La Patria. It is interesting to note that the taxon is adapted to living even in the Chaco's lowland, in the area bordering the first Andean sierra, such as in areas of the Cañon del Pilcomayo and in the Valle del Rio Grande. (Quoted from: Anceschi & Magli 2013b, 58-59)

Genus

Gymnocalycium

Other species

alboareolatum
andreae
anisitsii
baldianum
bayrianum
bodenbenderianum
borthii
bruchii
buenekeri
calochlorum
capillaense
cardenasianum
castellanosii
chiquitanum
denudatum
eurypleurum
ferrarii
fischeri
glaucum
horridispinum
horstii
hossei
kieslingii
marsoneri
megatae
mesopotamicum
mihanovichii
monvillei
mostii
nigriareolatum
oenanthemum
paediophilum
paraguayense
pflanzii
reductum
ritterianum
robustum
saglionis
schickendantzii
schroederianum
spegazzinii
stellatum
stenopleurum
uebelmannianum
uruguayense