Notocactus

The Genus Notocactus is found in Southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina.

Notocactus leninghausii (top picture). This cactus used to be included in the genus Eriocactus which contained short-columnar cacti with yellow stigma. Now, Eriocactus is a sub-genus of Notocactus and Notocactus itself is being merged with the Genus Parodia which precedes Notocactus. This arrangment is not getting down well with students of this genus. To begin with seeds of Parodia are much smaller than those of Notocactus. N. leninghausii was discovered by Frederico Guilermo Leninghaus, a Brazilian collector.

Notocactus graessneri (Second picture) used to be called Brasilicactus graessneri. Plants of this genus have small flowers and contained two species. Discovered by Robert Graessner and is named for him. N. graessneri is now placed as a subspecies of N. haselbergii. Thus, the name now reads as N. haselbergii ssp. graessneri, unless of course one accepts Parodia as the genus. Confusing isn't it?
N. graessneri, like N. leninghausii has a tendency for the upper stem to lean to one side.

Named for Hugo Selmer Schlosser, Notocactus schlosseri (third picture) is a charming plant and can be expected to flower after three years from seed. N. schlosseri hails from Uruguay. Plants have red spines and can be expected to grow to 20 cm in height.

Notocactus buiningii can be easily distinguished from other Notocacti by its sharp bluish-grey ribs. It remains solitary and is known to have shallow roots.

Pictures supplied by Jason Fenech. Information supplied by Amante Darmanin