Synonyms:

Echinocactus amambayensis
Echinocactus catamarcensis var. obscura
Echinocactus catamarcensis var. pallida
Echinocactus microspermus
Echinocactus microspermus var. erythrantha
Echinocactus microspermus var. macrancistrus
Echinocactus microspermus var. thionanthus
Hickenia microsperma
Parodia aconquijaensis
Parodia albofuscata
Parodia amambayensis
Parodia amblayensis
Parodia argerichiana
Parodia aureispina
Parodia aureispina var. elegans
Parodia aureispina var. erythrantha
Parodia aureispina var. erythrostaminea
Parodia aureispina var. grandiflora
Parodia aureispina var. mutabilis
Parodia belenensis
Parodia betaniana
Parodia cabracorralensis
Parodia campestris
Parodia capillitaensis
Parodia cardenasii var. maior
Parodia catamarcensis
Parodia catamarcensis var. albispina
Parodia catamarcensis var. mesembrina
Parodia catamarcensis var. riojensis
Parodia catamarcensis var. rubriflorens
Parodia cebilarensis
Parodia chlorocarpa
Parodia erythrantha
Parodia erythrantha
Parodia erythrantha var. thionantha
Parodia fechseri
Parodia fuscatoviridis
Parodia fuscoviridis
Parodia glischrocarpa
Parodia grandiflora
Parodia guachipasana
Parodia haemantha
Parodia herzogii
Parodia heyeriana
Parodia hummeliana
Parodia hummeliana var. glischrocarpa
Parodia hummeliana var.
Parodia lembckei Weskamp
Parodia macrancistra
Parodia macrancistra
Parodia macrancistra
Parodia malyana
Parodia malyana subsp. igneiflora
Parodia malyana var. igneuiflora
Parodia malyana var. rubriflora
Parodia matthesiana
Parodia mercedesiana
Parodia mesembrina
Parodia mesembrina var. juanensis
Parodia microsperma subsp. albofuscata
Parodia microsperma subsp. aureispina
Parodia microsperma subsp. catamarcensis
Parodia microsperma subsp. herzogii
Parodia microsperma subsp. mesembrina
Parodia microsperma subsp. microsperma
Parodia microsperma subsp. sanguiniflora
Parodia microsperma subsp. spegazziniana
Parodia microsperma var. argerichiana
Parodia microsperma var. aurantiaca
Parodia microsperma var. belenensis
Parodia microsperma var. betaniana
Parodia microsperma var. cafayatensis
Parodia microsperma var. campestris
Parodia microsperma var. cebilarensis
Parodia microsperma var. erythrantha
Parodia microsperma var. glischrocarpa
Parodia microsperma var. guachipasana
Parodia microsperma var. herzogii
Parodia microsperma var. juanensis
Parodia microsperma var. lembckei
Parodia microsperma var. macrancistra
Parodia microsperma var. malyana
Parodia microsperma var. minuscula
Parodia microsperma var. mutabilis
Parodia microsperma var. nana
Parodia microsperma var. opulenta
Parodia microsperma var. rigidissima
Parodia microsperma var. riojensis
Parodia microsperma var. rubristaminea
Parodia microsperma var. spanisa
Parodia microsperma var. thionantha
Parodia microsperma var. wagneriana
Parodia microsperma var. weberiana
Parodia microthele
Parodia minima
Parodia minuscula
Parodia mutabilis
Parodia mutabilis var. carneospina
Parodia mutabilis var. elegans
Parodia mutabilis var. sanguiniflora
Parodia nana
Parodia papagayana
Parodia rigidispina
Parodia riojensis
Parodia rubellihamata
Parodia rubellihamata
Parodia rubriflora
Parodia rubristaminea
Parodia sanagasta
Parodia sanagasta var. saltensis
Parodia sanagasta var. viridior
Parodia sanguiniflora
Parodia sanguiniflora var. comata
Parodia scopaoides
Parodia setifera
Parodia setifera f. betaniana
Parodia setifera f. chlorocarpa
Parodia setifera var. balboaensis
Parodia setifera var. cabracorralensis
Parodia setifera var. jujuyensis
Parodia setifera var. longihamata
Parodia spanisa
Parodia spegazziniana
Parodia spegazziniana var. aurea
Parodia spegazziniana var. lembckei
Parodia spegazziniana var. spanisa
Parodia tafiensis
Parodia talaensis
Parodia thionantha
Parodia tuberculosicostata
Parodia tuberculosicostata var. amblayana
Parodia tuberculosicostata var. cafayatensis
Parodia tucumanensis
Parodia uebelmanniana
Parodia wagneriana
Parodia weberiana
Parodia weberioides
Parodia weskampiana

Habitat:

This species can be found in many parts of northwestern Argentina, including Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan, and Santiago del Estero. It is also likely to exist in Bolivia, particularly in Tarija and San Pedro. It grows at elevations ranging from 500 to 2,000 meters above sea level.

Description:

Parodia microsperma is a cacti usually found alone, but that can also form small groups. Its stem is round or cylindrical, and it’s a pale green color. The stem can grow up to 6-7(-9) cm in diameter and 10 cm tall or even taller. It has 13-21 ribs that spiral around it, with small cone-shaped bumps that are about 4-5 mm in diameter and 3 mm long. The plant has small circular areas called areoles that are about 1.5 mm in diameter. When the plant is young, these areoles have a white-yellowish fluff, but it disappears as they get older. There are 11-13 thin white spines that point outward from the sides of the plant. They can grow up to 7 mm long. There are also 4 central spines. The upper three are straight and white with a reddish tip, while the lower one is longer and stronger. It’s curved and totally reddish, and it can grow up to 30 mm long. The plant produces infundibuliform flowers at the top, which means they have a funnel shape. These flowers are about 30 mm long and 40 mm in diameter. The outer parts of the flower are spatula-shaped or lanceolate and have small teeth on the edges. They are yellowish-orange with a reddish line in the middle. The throat of the flower is bright red. The filaments of the flower have cream-yellowish anthers. The stigma, which is the part that collects pollen, is white-yellowish and has 12 lobes. The plant produces oval-shaped fruits that are about 6×5 mm in size and they split open at the base when ripe. The seeds of this plant are very small, about 0.4 mm long. They are brown, smooth, and shiny.

Cultivation:

To successfully cultivate Parodia microsperma, it is advisable to position your plant in a location that receives direct sunlight, taking care to shield it from the intense midday rays, particularly in the summer months. This particular cactus species has a reputation for tolerating harsh temperatures, enduring even as low as -4ºC, as long as its growing medium remains completely dry. Nonetheless, for added precautionary measures, we recommend either keeping it indoors or providing shelter during the winter season. Additionally, if you opt to cultivate it outdoors, it is crucial to protect it from the potentially damaging effects of winter rainfall. Maintaining a regular watering schedule is essential for the well-being of Parodia microsperma, especially during the spring and summer seasons. Watering once a week should suffice, ensuring that the soil dries out completely before each irrigation. Unlike some other cacti species, P. microsperma exhibits a unique requirement of occasional misting during the warmer days of late winter. This is necessary to prevent the roots from becoming excessively dry over prolonged periods, which could result in root loss. When selecting a suitable growing medium for your Parodia microsperma, it is imperative to opt for a well-draining substrate, preferably a potting mix specifically formulated for cacti. This will help prevent water retention and promote healthy root development. During the active growth season, it is recommended to fertilize your P. microsperma once a year using a succulent-specific product. Dilute the recommended dosage on the product label by half and incorporate it into your watering routine. It is important to ensure that the chosen fertilizer is low in nitrogen content, as excessive nitrogen can lead to abnormal growth and tissue fragility in the plant. Parodia microsperma is a slow-growing cactus, which means that repotting is rarely necessary. A repotting frequency of once every two to three years should be sufficient to accommodate its growth and maintain its well-being.

Propagation:

Parodia microsperma can be propagated through seeds. The seeds of this plant are exceptionally tiny and should be placed on the surface of the germination substrate without being buried. However, once the seeds germinate and the seedlings emerge, they are extremely small and delicate, making it challenging to ensure their survival. Therefore, the baggy germination technique is commonly employed for this species. This involves placing the seeds in a sterilized pot, sealing it tightly in a plastic sachet to create a controlled environment for germination.

Curiosity:

The genus name “Parodia” comes from Lorenzo Raimundo Parodi, a botanist from Argentine. The species name “microsperma”, instead, comes from Greek and refers to the small size of the seeds of this species.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

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