7. Parodia Spegazzini (1923:70)

Type (designated by F. A. C. Weber 1896: 469):— Parodia microsperma Spegazzini (1923: 70) ≡ Echinocactus microspermus F.A.C. Weber (1896: 469) .

Species richness:— Parodia comprises approximately 82 species, in Rio Grande do Sul 32 species are cited (Hunt et al. 2006, Anceschi & Magli 2018).

General distribution:— Geographic distribution in the South American Pampas region in the western Andes and western Bolivia (Anceschi & Magli 2018).

Distribution in Santa Maria river basin:— In SMRB the species occurs more frequently in rocky outcrops and is associated with saxicolous vegetation. Eleven species belonging to Parodia were found: P. arnostiana (Lisal & Kolarik 1986: 8) Hofacker (1988: 11), (Fig. 3B), P. concinna (Monville 1839: 222) N.P. Taylor (1987: 93), P. curvispina (F. Ritter 1979: 189) D.R. Hunt (1997: 6), P. glaucina (F. Ritter 1979: 168) Hofacker & M.Machado (2012: 44), P. herteri (Werdermann 1936: 143) N.P. Taylor (1987: 93) (Fig 3C), P. linkii (Lehmann 1827: 16) Kiesling (1995: 22) (Fig. 3D), P. mammulosa (Lemaire 1838: 40) N.P. Taylor (1987: 93), (Fig. 2E), P. mueller-melchersii (Backeberg 1935: 254, 415) N.P. Taylor 1987: 3), P. nothorauschii Hunt (1997: 6) (Fig. 3F), P. ottonis (Lehmann 1827: 16) Taylor (1987: 93) (Fig. 3G), P. permutata (F. Ritter 1979: 188) Hofacker (1998: 12), P. ritteriana (Lisal & Kolarik 1986: 5) A.S.Oliveira & R.Pontes, comb. nov. (see below; Fig. 2H) and P. tenuicylindrica (F. Ritter 1970: 108) Hunt (1997:6) (Fig. 3I).

Morphologic notes:— This latter genus is characterized by its globose to cylindrical body of more than 4 cm in diameter, with tubercular or not ribs, with generally yellow bell-shaped flowers, less often pink or purple, with globular to cylindrical, woolly fruits. October and ends in February, depending on the species, getting right after.

Notes on Notocactus ritterianus Lisal & Kolarik (1986: 5): —It is little known and amentioned for Rio Grande do Sul, being attributed by some authors (see e.g., Hunt 2006: 359 and Anderson 2013: 546) as synomym of Parodia mammulosa . In 2018, locations in the municipality of Lavras do Sul were investigated, where flowers could be observed. At one of these sites, the taxon was found being sympatric with a form of P. mammulosa (Lemaire) N.P.Taylor, P. arnostiana (Lisal & Kolarik 1986: 8) Hofacker, P. curvispina (F. Ritter 1979: 189) D. R. Hunt, Wigginsia sellowii (Link & Otto 1827: 425) F. Ritter, W. langsdorffii (Lehmann 1826: 17) D.M. Porter (1964: 211) Gymnocalycium denudatum (Link & Otto 1828: 9) Pfeiffer ex Mittler, Frailea mammifera Buining & Brederoo (1972: 106), and Cereus hildmannianus K.Schumann (1890: 202) .

Even though Notocactus ritterianus and Parodia mammulosa inhabit the same area, no hybrid was found by us (see also Hunt et al. 2006). According to the current recognition (Anceschi & Magli 2018, Hofacker et al., 2020), the genus Notocactus (K. Schumann 1898: 292) Fric (1928: 3) is usually assigned to the genus Parodia and a new combination is proposed below: