Treated as a synonym of R. floccosa ssp. pulvinigera by B&T in Bradleya 13

Desc from B&R 1923

• Stems 3 to 6 mm. thick, yellowish green, with dichotomous or trichotomous branches or sometimes with terminal whorls of 4 or 6;
• Areole small;
• Buds obtuse, pinkish, hairy when in flower;
• Flowers scattered along branches toward tip, white to pale pink, 8 to 9 mm. long, 12 to 15 mm. broad;
• Petals not widely spreading (at least in our specimen) ;
• Stigma-lobes 3 to 6, white;
• Fruit white, somewhat depressed, 8 to 10 mm. in diameter, 7 to 8 mm. high, the base sunken in the branch.

Type locality: Brazil.
Distribution Organ Mountains, Brazil.

The species was described from plants brought to Paris from Brazil in 1887, their habitat not recorded, but Dr. Rose traced it to the Organ Mountains in 1915 and his plant flowered in the New York Botanical Garden in February 1921 (No.21161). In 1902 a specimen was sent from Paris to the New York Botanical Garden and one specimen was obtained from R. Lamb, Superintendent of Parks at Manchester, England, in 1914, but neither has done well in cultivation.

Photos: R. gibberulum: copyright Ken Friedman, Brussels Botanic Garden.

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