Hans-Joerg Jucker and his wife traveled South America from 1981 to 1986. In October of 1986, coming from Paraguay, he drove to Robore in Bolivia. During an adventurous journey they managed to reach the military station Ravello that is situated near the base of the Cerro Miguel. Accompanied by two recruits Junker climbed the 800 metre tall mountain. By the rock he found a Gymnocalycium which reminded him of a sea urchin. A plant grown from seed is being cultivated in the Succulent-Collection Zurich since 1994.

During 1995, Helmut Amerhauser and his companions - coming from Robore - visited the Cerro San Miguel in Departemento Santa Cruz in the south-east of Bolivia for the first time. They located plants identical to Jucker's find on the rock face. Due to the steepness of the face they were not able to make photographs. The habitat was revisited by Amerhauser in 1998, to further explore the habitat.

In the magazine GYMNOCALYCIUM 12 (4) 1999: 301–304, Amerhauser described the plants as G. chacoense.

Typus:

Bolivia, Dept. Santa Cruz, in decliviis montis Cerro San Miguel, 790m s.m., 25.09.1995, H. Amerhauser HA990–4 (Holotypus: LPB; Isotypus: WU).