Gymnos in habitat

Gymnocalycium erolesii G. Neuhuber & L. Bercht

In 2000, Argentinian Pablo Eroles found these plants in province Santa Fe in Argentina and sent pictures of his findings to G. Neuhuber for identification in 2001. L. Bercht, who visited the area in 2001, described the plants together with G. Neuhuber in the magazine "Gymnocalycium" 15(4)2002 as Gymnocalycium erolesii. I was quite surprised when I visited the area and found a breadth of Chaco vegetation including Stetsonia coryne, Cereus albicaulus, Cereus spegazzinii, Harrisia tortuosa, Cleistocactus baumanii subsp. baumanii, Echinopsis rhodotricha and members of the genus Opuntia. Up to now I only encountered those plant communities in Bolivia and Paraguay. Specimen grow in fine, pale sand - often slightly elevated from its premises - between grass and mosses.