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When I found this at my local garden center, I thought it was a Rebutia or a Sulco..., but I can't find anything that comes close to matching. For referencing the size, it is in a 2-inch pot. If anyone has an idea, I'd appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!

I am continuing to look for possibilities, and I happened upon Frailea. Is that possible? It looks more like that genus than Rebutia, but I still found nothing matches closely, whether it's the short, closely-held spines, the color, or the offsets.

I have a R. heliosa v condorensis that looks very similar, as dark as yours.

I shall check out that one, gillinger. Thanks!

As usual flowers decide! 2" pot it may be a Frailea but could also be of the Rebutia/Aylostera group as Gillinger says. Its often difficult to identify things from pictures rather than the actual plant.

Sulcorebutia IMHO

This little guy finally bloomed, but the flower never opened fully in this intense heat we're experiencing. I've attached a photo and, as you can see, the flower was a brilliant red. I am now convinced it belongs in the Rebutia/Aylostera group, but I've not found any photos of any that clump with such small heads. Everything else seems to fit the descriptions. Member gillinger suggested R. heliosa v condorensis, and I think that's a very strong possibility. The other one I am considering is R. pygmaea. Any further thoughts now that we have a flower?

Certainly not a Frailea but looks like a Sulcorebutia/Alostera type..

Very typical Aylostera flower tube, A. heliosa circle is the best suggestion

eg http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... brevispina

Thanks, anttisepp. I do believe that's the one. But such a long name for a small cactus!

Can't tell from the picture but Rebutia has no hairs or bristles on the flower tube but Aylostera does.

"Mosti et al. (2011)* have split the two genera based on DNA studies. Differences between Rebutia and Aylostera include that in Rebutia the flowers tend to be uniformly coloured and have no hairs or bristles on the tube, whereas in Aylostera flowers are often bicoloured or multi-toned, have contrasting stamens and/or styles, and have hairs or bristles on the flower tube."

This can be even one of the countless varieties of Aylostera pygmaea...