[2] Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri is found in southeastern Brazil, in Paraná and Santa Catarina, at altitudes of 350–1,300 m (1,100–4,300 ft).

R. gaertneri grows on trees (epiphytic) or less often rocks (lithophytic) in sub-tropical rain forest.

[3] The relationship to S. russelliana was based on the appearance of the stems, made up of somewhat flattened segments with small teeth, and the radially symmetrical shape of the flowers.

However, the deeper structure of the flower differs from Schlumbergera species, which have a short floral tube at the base of the flower formed by fused petals, and stamens arranged in two distinct series, whereas Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri has separate petals and a single series of stamens.

[1][3] It was put back in Schlumbergera as the result of molecular phylogenetic studies in 2011,[6] and then restored to Rhipsalidopsis again.