This is supposedly a previously undescribed Gymnocalycium, hence the name "nova" which means new. At least that was what it was labled at Tohono Chul Park where I purchased it. This one is a beautiful blue bodied cacti almost perfectly spherical and about 4 inches across. Its gorgeous white spines are tipped in reddish brown and curve upward. There are also pics below of two mature specimens at B & B Cactus Nursery in Tucson that I'm sure are the same plant. So now I know it can offset. Too bad I wasn't there to see the flower open.
     Update September 22nd 2006, I finally have flowers. Unfortunately, because of the dense spination, only one fully opened.

View from the top	A closer view	Side view of spination at the apex	A single areole
Just like mine at B & B	Another from B & B	September flowers	A little closer
Closer yet