Gymnocalycium paediophylum

Gymnocalycium paediophylum is a species of Gymnocalycium from Paraguay.^[1]

Gymnocalycium paediophylum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Genus:	Gymnocalycium
Species:	G. paediophylum
Binomial name
Gymnocalycium paediophylum F. Ritter 1977

Description

Gymnocalycium paediophilum is a clumping cactus with round to short cylindrical green stems, 10–20 cm tall and 5–8 cm in diameter, with 6–10 slightly warty ribs. It has a strong central spine, 1.5–2.5 cm long, sometimes accompanied by 2 smaller spines, and 5–7 upright, brown radial spines up to 3 cm long. Its pink to light red flowers, which open widely, measure 4.5–6 cm in length and 5–6 cm in diameter. The green to blue-green fruits are 1–1.8 cm long and 0.7–1.5 cm in diameter.^[2]

Distribution

This species is native to the Boquerón, Paraguay department of Paraguay growing in quartz and rocks at elevations from 220 to 270 meters.^[3]

Taxonomy

Gymnocalycium paediophilum was first described in 1979 by Friedrich Ritter. The epithet paediophilum, meaning "child-loving", references the numerous children Ritter educated.^{[citation needed]}