Have I got the wrong label?

[deeman]

I bought a lovely Gymnocalyceum horstii buenekeri a couple of weeks ago and it has produced the most wonderful flowers. What puzzles is on the label it says large pink flowers but these tend to be white than pink. I suppose there is some variation in colour.

[deeman]

I think I'll add another Gymnocalyceum onto the forum. This time a G. damsii rotundum plus I'll add an Echinopsis eyriesii, just because it's covered in flowers and I've got it on record.

[Phil_SK]

I bought a lovely Gymnocalyceum horstii buenekeri a couple of weeks ago and it has produced the most wonderful flowers. What puzzles is on the label it says large pink flowers but these tend to be white than pink. I suppose there is some variation in colour.

This is one of those species where there isn't much variation! Your plant may be G. horstii ssp horstii or G. denudatum or it may have been grown from seed that wasn't produced very strictly and is, in fact, a bit of a hybrid. A photo of the plant body would help a bit.

I think I'll add another Gymnocalyceum onto the forum. This time a G. damsii rotundum plus I'll add an Echinopsis eyriesii, just because it's covered in flowers and I've got it on record.

Your Echinopsis is definitely mislabelled - it is another Gymnocalycium, I think, a body photo would again help. G. damsii isn't a species I know well enough to comment on.

[iann]

G. damsii is fairly distinctive because of the grey pollen. This is shared with all the plants in the G. anisitsii clan, but just where you divide them into varieties and subspecies is a minefield. The correct spelling would be var rotundulum, but it is an invalid name anyway so not the end of the world. Plants tagged damsii would normally have some pink in the petals so again don't get too attached to that exact name. I think that name is simply preferred by sellers because it is deemed more attractive than anisitsii.

[deeman]

I'll put pictures of the bodies to give you all a better chance if an ID.
You've got me all rightly confused now.

[rodsmith]

Buenekeri looks right, Ernie, but your Echinopsis eyriesii is definitely a Gymnocalycium; I don't know the species, though.

[iann]

Looks a lot like G. stenopleurum to me. A fat green one, but still recognisable.

[deeman]

Thanks for all your help. When will I ever buy anything with a correct label?

[Phil_SK]

Buenekeri looks right, Ernie

I would argue that the plant's skin is too glossy for ssp bueneckeri and, together with the whiteish flower, suggests ssp horstii instead. I can now rule out G. denudatum as there are no grooves/notches across the ribs between the areoles.

[Peter]

Don't get overly upset about names Ernie. The main thing is that you've managed to get hold of some very nice plants!