''Gymnocalycium baldianum'', the spider-cactus or dwarf chin cactus, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the cactus family Cactaceae, native to the

Catamarca Province Catamarca () is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. The province had a population of 334,568 as per the , and covers an area of 102,602 km2. Its literacy rate is 95.5%. Neighbouring provinces are (clockwise, fr ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Description

It is a globose cactus, spherical or a little flat, with a diameter up to 8 cm, dark green in colour, or sometimes brown. It has 8 to 10 ribs with

tubercle In anatomy, a tubercle (literally 'small tuber', Latin for 'lump') is any round nodule, small eminence, or warty outgrowth found on external or internal organs of a plant or an animal. In plants A tubercle is generally a wart-like projection ...

-shaped

areole In botany, areoles are small light- to dark-colored bumps on cacti out of which grow clusters of spines. Areoles are important diagnostic features of cacti, and identify them as a family distinct from other succulent plants. Gordon Rowley - W ...

s, covered in groups of 6 to 8 pale grey, curved spines, giving to the species its common name of spider-cactus. Like many cacti, it does not divide but may form offsets after some years. The funnel-shaped flowers reach a diameter of 6 cm, growing near the apex of the plant and are red, pink or orange.

Cultivation

''Gymnocalycium baldianum'' is easy to grow. It needs a well-drained soil. In summer, water the plants well, but let them to dry before watering again. Use monthly a fertilizer for cacti. In winter, keep it dry, and the temperature may be as low as , but it is better to keep it without frost. The exposure must be sunny in summer and at least brightly lit in winter. This species has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

’s

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

Gallery

References

baldianum Cacti of South America Endemic flora of Argentina Garden plants of South America Least concern plants Least concern biota of South America Plants described in 1905 Taxa named by Carlo Luigi Spegazzini {{Cactus-stub