Distribution

Paraguay (Alto Paraguay)

Conservation status

(4)   Data Deficient, DD

Comments

“Ecologically, mountain ranges are like islands in the sky, and many of them support endemic species developed in isolation” (Benson 1982, 107). The Serrania of San José (668 m), is the homeland of Gymnocalycium chiquitanum Cárdenas, 150 km to the south is the Cerro San Miguel (839 m), homeland of Gymnocalycium chacoense Amerhauser, and 125 km to the southwest is the Cerro León (604 m), homeland of Gymnocalycium paediophilum F. Ritter ex Schütz, separated from each other by the plains of the Chaco Boreal, are an emblematic example of Benson’s thought. In the panorama of species of the genus Gymnocalycium Pfeiffer ex Mittler, which populate the Chaco Biome, all belonging to the seed group Muscosemineum. These three species are the only ones, in addition to Gymnocalycium pflanzii (Vaupel) Werdermann, to belong to the group Microsemineum. It is worth noting that G. pflanzii, as already mentioned, is well adapted to living both the Chaco plain, and even in the steep-sided mountains with the deep valleys of the region, which Charles called "Easten Andean Forest and Scrub" (2009, 25-27), and which we identify as an area in the first Andean sierra where the Monte region merges, to the south, with the Chaco system that comes from the west. The fact that members of the same seed group have similar territorial habits, might suggest a common ancestor, perhaps of Andean origin, although the diversity manifested in the form of growth of G. paediophilum is truly remarkable. In this regard, in contrast with Hunt et al. (2006, text: 128, 131) and in accordance with Charles (2009, 144, 180) we believe that G. chacoense and G. paediophilum are distinct from G. chiquitanum. In addition to the disjunction of the distribution area, G. chacoense differs (as attested by the experience and documentation of other researchers, being the only taxon in the Chaco Gymnocalycium that we have not directly studied) for the smaller flowers and the finer spination (ibid.: 144). G. paediophilum is distinct not only from G. chiquitanum, but for its particular growth form, from any other species of Gymnocalycium we have studied in habitat. The taxon in fact forms groups of small columns, <16 x 8 cm (h x ø) rather unusual for the genus (A&M 741, photos 1-32). The Cerro León consists of 40 square kilometers of hills, covered by xerophytic deciduous forest. Like all other researchers, we studied the taxon in the foothills, where the dirt roads end. In fact, no one has ever entered into the heart of the Cerro León, we know nothing about the number of the populations of G. paediophilum, or their conservation status, nor if there are other similar wonders to be discovered. (Quoted from: Anceschi & Magli 2013b, 62-63)

Genus

Gymnocalycium

Other species

alboareolatum
andreae
anisitsii
baldianum
bayrianum
bodenbenderianum
borthii
bruchii
buenekeri
calochlorum
capillaense
cardenasianum
castellanosii
chiquitanum
denudatum
eurypleurum
ferrarii
fischeri
glaucum
horridispinum
horstii
hossei
kieslingii
marsoneri
megatae
mesopotamicum
mihanovichii
monvillei
mostii
nigriareolatum
oenanthemum
paediophilum
paraguayense
pflanzii
reductum
ritterianum
robustum
saglionis
schickendantzii
schroederianum
spegazzinii
stellatum
stenopleurum
uebelmannianum
uruguayense