Origin and Habitat: Chaco Boreal in Paraguay
Habitat: Grows under bushes where it is only exposed to direct sunlight a few months out of the year.

• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii (Frič ex Gürke) Britton & Rose
• Echinocactus mihanovichii Frič & Gürke

• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii (Frič ex Gürke) Britton & Rose
• Echinocactus mihanovichii Frič & Gürke
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. angusto-striatum Pazout
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. fleischerianum Pazout
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. melocactiforme Pazout
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. nigrum Y.Itô
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. pazoutianum Moser & Valnicek
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. piraretaense R.Blossfeld ex Pazout
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. piraretaense f. albiflora Pazout
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. robustior hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. stenostriatum Pazout
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii f. yrendague Moser

• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. filadelfiense Backeb.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. piraretaense f. filadelfiense Backeb. ex Pazout

• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. rysanekianum Pazout
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. rysanekii Pazout

• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. stenogonum Frič & Pazout
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii f. stenogona Frič
• Gymnocalycium stenogonum
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. chloristictum F.Ritter

• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii cv. Hibotan hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. friedrichii f. Rubra hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. rubrum hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii cv. Hibotan f. cristata hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. friedrichii f. rubra cristata hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii f. rubra cristata hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii cv. Nishikii hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. friedrichii f. nishikii hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. nichikii hort.
• Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. nishikii hort.

Description: The plant is considered to be a miniature cactus. It only grows to be 4 cm high and has a 5-6 cm diameter. The not fully opening flowers of this species have a silky appearance and range from pale green to brownish-yellow. It has wider, lower ribs, in juvenile plants divided into separate chins, in maturity every rib have flat surface and a pleat above each areole.
Remaks: Gymnocalycium friedrichiiSN|11929]]SN|11932]] and Gymnocalycium stenopleurumSN|11931]]SN|11931]] are sometimes combined with Gymnocalycium mihanovichiiSN|11932]]SN|11929]], and sometimes kept as separate species. G. friedrichii and G. stenopleurum are quite districted of from G. mihanovichii, but many intermediate forms are also known and nowadays it is suggested that all should be combined into only one variable species.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
2) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
3) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
4) N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume 4, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923
5) Curt Backeberg “Die Cactaceae: Handbuch der Kakteenkunde” Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart New York 1982–1985
6) Dmitriy Rogatskin “Controversial point” Cultivar e-magazin ISSUE 3 (25): 4 <http://www.lapshin.org/cultivar/N25/index-e.htm>

Cultivation and Propagation: Gymnocalycium mihanovichiiSN|11929]]SN|11929]] is a summer grower species that is easy to cultivate.
Growth rate: It is a relatively rapidly growing and easily flowering species.
Soils: It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil. Prefer a low pH compost, avoid substrata rich in limestone; otherwise growth will stop altogether.
Repotting: This plant needs plenty of space for its roots, repotting should be done every other year or when the it has outgrown its pot. Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: Needs moderate to copious waterings in summer, but do not overwater (Rot prone), keep dry in winter at a minimum temperature of 0°C.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Hardiness: Quite frost resistant if kept dry -5° C (Temperature Zone USDA 9-10), but for safe cultivation it is best to avoid freezing temperatures.
Exposition: The plant tolerates extremely bright situations but enjoys filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production, but is likely to suffer from sun scorch or stunted growth if over exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day in summer.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame or outdoor in a rockery.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the plants from above.
- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem.
- Rot: This species is particularly easy and accommodating, seldom suffer of cryptogamic diseases. Rot it is only a minor problem with gymnocalyciums if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much.
Propagation: Seeds (seldom produces offsets). Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove gradually the glass cover as soon the plants will be well rooted (ca 1-2 weeks) and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants! Colour mutants and variegates cultivars are propagated by graft.