Gymnocalycium sp.    
Some years ago I decided to expand my Gymnocalycium holdings. So I bought seeds of the species gibbosum, bothii, brachipetalum, fenellii, multiflorum, and schatzlianum, among others. Those mentioned, except maybe schatzlianum, look so much alike that I can’t identify them if you gave me a plant to look at. What’s odd is that I can sort all these into the correct cluster of species if you were to give me a mix of 30 or so plants. I guess there must be something to their species-hood. The flowers are absolutely identical to my eyes, but I’m not a taxonomist. By the way, since most gymnos come from Argentina, they tend to be quite winter hardy in temperate climates. The species gibbosum survives our NM winters outside, unsheltered, in a pot, even when the temperature drops to below zero (-18 C) at night.   (38/40)   

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