Toumeya papyracantha x Echinoceeus knippelianus hybrid

	Toumeya papyracantha x Echinocereus knippelianus hybrid	CACTUS ART NURSERY Cultivation and Mail Sale of Cacti and Succulents.

A very odd plant with colourful flat spines.
What is this plant? The first specimens of this rare and unusual cactus was sold as an improbable but stricking hybrid between a Toumeya papyracantha and *Echinocereus knippelianus.* However the plant is presumably a cross between a *Mammillaria sp.* with an unknown cactus or perhaps a monstrous form of *Mammillaria. Description:* Clustering matforming. Stem: 4 to 5cm wide, up to 4 cm tall, flattened and soft. Ribs: Vertical formed by a row of elongated tubercles. Central spines: Bright orange and yellow, flexible with a bent tip, but not hooked.They are also flat and not pungent. Radial spines: Glassy white, bristly. Roots: Tuberose, very juicy and pink. Flowers: Pink in a ring around the crown. This plant is also very similar (but not the same) to *Mammillaria hybrid (Dolichothele x UN PICO), actually this second species has more thin, straight and longer central spines, and very few thin white radial spines per areole. Furthermore the "Toumeya papyracantha x Echinocereus knippelianus hybrid"* has characteristic swollen pink roots very different from those of the *Mammillaria* hybrid.
Any additional information about the story and origin of this plant will be very appreciated... Thank you.
*Flowers.*	*Buds.*

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Toumeya papyracantha: *Toumeya papyracantha* *Toumeya papyracantha cv. CURLY SPINES* *Toumeya papyracantha x Echinocereus knippelianus hybrid ( ? )* *Toumeya papyracantha x Sclerocactus parviflorus hybrid*

Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Origin: Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

The fat tuberose roots (and the body "flesh") are a lovely pink.

The tubercles are characteristically disposed in vertical rib/like lines.

Central spines bright orange and yellow, flexible with a bent tip, but not hooked. They are also flat a very uncommon feature for a Mammillaria. Radials bristly and white.

Toumeya x knippelianus hybr. (left) & Dolichotele x Un Pico hybr. (Right)
This two similar cultivars are often confused but they are not the same.

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