Gymnos from A to Z

Gymnocalycium chiquitanum Cardenas

Up to date, the plants were found at the type location south of San José de Chiquitos and circa 60 kilometres to the north-west. The plants from the lower area somewhat deviate due to the different altitudes.
Although Backebergs description was invalid, authors H. Till, H. Amerhauser and W. Till recombined G. hammerschmidii in the second part of their reorganisation of the genus Gymnocalycium (Neuordnung der Gattung Gymnocalycium, Teil II 2008) and placed it as a variety to G. chiquitanum. In the process, they failed to deposit a valid herbarium specimen. H. Till corrected this mistake in Gymnocalycium 22(1) 2009 and validly described the forms north-west of San José as variety of G. chiquitanum.
The mountain ranges of the Serrania de Chiquitos are little explored so far and we cannot say whether there are connections between both populations. The new name of this variety creates some confusion, due to Backebergs previous invalid publication of these plants under the same name.
The plants are closely related to G. chacoense and G. paediophilum, but took their own development because of their spatial separation. Based on the similar seeds and properties of the flower, they should be classified in the vicinity of Chiquitana Buxbaum.
As of now, populations from the altitudes of Serrania de Chiquitos are not in danger - the situation in the plains is more critical. Since my first visit during 2003, various populations of cacti fell victim to the progressing road construction on the route Santa Cruz – Puerto Suarez. The small, insular occurences of stone plates are pushed off with crawlers and used for roadworks, even though the habitats aren't directly touched by the routeing of the new road.