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Etymology: The genus name "Toumeya" commemorates Dean James W. Toumey (New Mexico) who was also honoured by Britton & Rose, whose work benefited from Toumey’s fieldwork and collections of cactus specimens. The species name "papyracantha" derives from the greek word “papyrus (παπυρος)” that  means " papyrus (Cyperus papyrus); paper " and from “acantha (ακανϑα)” that  means “thorn, spine"     (The specific name implies: “papery spines”)  

Conservation status: Listed in CITES Appendix I

Habitat: Grows in open flats in pinyon-juniper woodlands, great Plains grassland, and Chihuahuan Desert grassland. At an elevation of 1500 - 2300 m. Restricted to fine, sandy clay loams and red sandy soils; rarely gypseous; often on highly erodable sites.

Common English Names: Grama-grass cactus, Paper-spined cactus, Paperspine fishhook cactus, Toumeya

Description:

Toumeya papyracantha (English common name: Gramma Grass Cactus) is the only species of the monotypic genus Toumeya in the cactus family (Cactaceae).

The solitary, oval growing Toumeya papyracantha (trivial name: Gramma Grass Cactus, Paper-Spined Cactus, Cactus Toumey) is 2-10 cm long and 1-4 cm wide. Characteristic are the variable, papery white to gray central spines. The white, cream, pink funnel-shaped to oblong flowers sometimes with brownish or pink center strip, to 2.5 cm long and 1.5 to 2.5 cm wide. Flowering is in April to May.

Toumeya papyracantha is hardy in dry prior to minus 20 ° C, an ungrafted culture in Europe is possible.  

Toumeya papyracantha is one of the rarest and most unusual species in the United States, the distribution is very limited. The species grows in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, in Juniper-Pinyon forests, grassland