Synonyms

Echinopsis pygmaea*, Lobivia pygmaea, Mediolobivia pygmaea, Lobivia albispina, Lobivia nigricans var. albispina, Rebutia amblypetala, Rebutia rosalbiflora ssp. amblypetala, Digitorebutia atrovirens, Lobivia atrovirens, Mediolobivia atrovirens, Rebutia diersiana ssp. atrovirens, Lobivia auranitida, Mediolobivia auranitida, Rebutia auranitida, Mediolobivia aureiflora, Rebutia aureiflora, Rebutia einsteinii ssp. aureiflora, Rebutia canacruzensis, Rebutia carmeniana, Rebutia colorea, Lobivia conoidea, Mediolobivia conoidea, Rebutia crassa, Lobivia haagei var. crassa, Rebutia diersiana, Lobivia einsteinii, Rebutia einsteinii, Rebutia einsteinii ssp. einsteinii, Mediolobivia elegans, Rebutia aureiflora ssp. elegans, Rebutia elegantula, Lobivia haagei var. elegantula, Rebutia eos, Mediolobivia eos, Lobivia euanthema, Mediolobivia euanthema, Rebutia euanthema, Rebutia fischeriana, Rebutia friedrichiana, Rebutia gavazzii, Rebutia gonjianii, Rebutia einsteinii ssp. gonjianii, Rebutia gracilispina, Acantholobivia haagei, Digitorebutia haagei, Lobivia haagei, Mediolobivia haagei, Rebutia haagei, Mediolobivia haefneriana, Rebutia haefneriana, Rebutia iridescens, Rebutia iscayachensis, Rebutia knizei, Lobivia pygmaea var. knizei, Rebutia lanosiflora, Rebutia leucanthema, Rebutia mixta, Rebutia mixticolor, Rebutia mudanensis, Digitorebutia nazarenoensis, Rebutia nazarenoensis, Lobivia neohaageana, Mediolobivia neopygmaea, Lobivia nigricans, Mediolobivia nigricans, Rebutia nigricans, Rebutia oculata, Rebutia odontopetala, Digitorebutia orurensis, Mediolobivia orurensis, Rebutia pallida, Rebutia pauciareolata, Rebutia paucicostata, Digitorebutia pectinata, Lobivia pectinata, Mediolobivia pectinata, Lobivia pelzliana, Lobivia haagei var. pelzliana, Rebutia polypetala, Lobivia pygmaea var. polypetala, Rebutia pseudoritteri, Lobivia artovirens var. pseudoritteri, Rebutia rosalbiflora, Rebutia rutiliflora, Rebutia salpingantha, Mediolobivia sarothroides, Rebutia sarothroides, Lobivia schmiedcheniana, Mediolobivia schmiedcheniana, Rebutia tafnaensis, Rebutia tilcarensis. Rebutia torquata, Rebutia tropaeolipicta, Rebutia villazonensis, Rebutia violacistaminea, Lobivia pygmaea var. violacistaminea, Rebutia violascens, Rebutia yuncharasensis, Lobivia atrovirens var. yuncharasensis, Rebutia yuquinensis
* Basionym

Distribution

Argentina ( Jujuy, Salta), Bolivia (Chuquisaca, Oruro, Potosí, Tarija)

Conservation status

(3)   Least Concern, LC

Comments

Rebutia pygmaea (R. E. Fries) Britton & Rose is a dominant species of the genus Rebutia K. Schumann, whose populations, highly variable in growth forms and floral characters, range from the far north west provinces of Argentina (Salta and Jujuy), to the Andean departments of southern Bolivia (Potosi, Tarija, Oruro, Chuquisaca ). The taxon occupies part of the Puna eco-region, consisting of high altitude grasslands with rocky outcrops, at an altitude between 3200 and 3500 meters. Also in the R. pygmaea range, live the populations of Rebutia einsteinii Fric ex Kreuzinger & Buining, another highly variable taxon of the genus. The variability of R. einsteinii is so clear, that Mats Hjertson in his last paper on the subject (2003, 15: 9-10), subdivides the taxon into three subspecies (R. einsteinii ssp. einsteinii, Rebutia einsteinii ssp. aureiflora (Boedeker) Hjertson, R. einsteinii ssp. gonjianii (Kiesling) Hjertson). In Argentina, populations of the two taxa are living sympatrically in several areas (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Iturbe-Iruya, Cuesta de Lipan, Ronqui Angosto, La Quiaca, etc). In some populations the characters of the two taxa merge, as for example in the area of Iturbe, where probable natural hybrids have been detected between R. pygmaea and R. einsteinii var. gonjianii (Kiesling) Donald as, for example, MN 171a (Mats Winberg, e-mail 24 Dec 2010). The doubts that the two species may be really distinct increase further if we consider that the first recording of R. einsteinii appeared in the protologue of E. Fries (Fries 871) right between the syntypes of Echinopsis pygmaea R. E. Fries (Hjertson 1994, 43: 455-457; Hjertson 2003, 15: 9-10). From Hjertson’s article on the identity of E. pygmaea (1994, 43: 455-457) we learn that Fries (1905) had already (and we think correctly) interpreted R. einsteinii as a form of E. pygmaea, also including a form with relatively short spines of R. einsteinii [R. E. Fries 871 (Argentina, Prov. Salta, Nevado de Chañi; spirit]. in the latter. Hjertson believes that Fries mistakenly included Fries 871 in the protologue of E. pygmaea. The support of this theory emphasizes that on the label of Fries 871 the flower is indicated as bright yellow, a colour not listed in the original description. Contrary to Hjertson, we think that Fries was conscious of the inclusion of Fries 871 in the protologue of E. pygmaea, also because by Hjertson own admission the original description of E. pygmaea is based on "two" taxa. Therefore the vegetative characters are those of Fries 871, while the floral characters are closer to the other two syntypes (i.e. Fries 999 and Kurtz 11426). Considering the extreme variability and similarity between the two taxa (see also Hunt et al. 2006, altras: 262-263), in addition to considerating the populations’ overlaps in habitat, with probable merging points, we prefer to return R. pygmaea to the original conception, and consider R. einsteinii, and related subspecies, synonyms of the taxon thus conceived. (Quoted from: Anceschi & Magli 2013b, 85-87)

Genus

Rebutia

Other species

deminuta
fabrisii
fiebrigii
minuscula
pygmaea
robustispina
steinmannii