Gymnocalycium bodenbenderianum

Gymnocalycium bodenbenderianum is a species of Gymnocalycium cactus from Argentina.

Description
Gymnocalycium bodenbenderianum grows with brownish to grey-green, flat, disc-shaped shoots that barely protrude above the soil surface and reaches heights of 2 to 3 centimeters with diameters of up to 8 centimeters. The 11 to 15 low ribs are rounded and clearly tuberous. The three to seven strong, backwards curved, blackish brown thorns turn gray with age. They are up to 10 millimeters long.

The whitish to light pink flowers are 3.5 to 6 centimeters long. Their flower tube is narrow. The blue-green fruits are egg-shaped. They are up to 2 centimeters long (or longer) and have a diameter of up to 1 centimeter.

Distribution
Gymnocalycium bodenbenderianum is widespread in the Argentine provinces of Catamarca, Córdoba, La Rioja, San Juan and Santiago del Estero at altitudes of 100 to 1100 meters.

Taxonomy
The first description as Echinocactus bodenbenderianus was made in 1928 by Carl Curt Hosseus. The specific epithet bodenbenderianum honors the German geologist Wilhelm Bodenbender. A year later, Alwin Berger placed the species in the genus Gymnocalycium.