Flora of North America species comparison

erect, branched distally or throughout, branches ascending, not winged.

basal and proximal cauline;

sessile or petiolate;

blade margins coarsely dentate or 1–2-pinnately lobed, margins of mid and distal cauline dentate or entire, faces loosely tomentose or glabrate, puberulent and resin-gland-dotted.

ovoid to subspheric, constricted, 6–10 mm diam.

flat, epaleate, bearing setiform scales (“flattened bristles”).

15–36;

corollas blue, pink, or white, tubes very slender, usually bent distally, throats abruptly expanded, lobes linear;

anther bases short-tailed, apical appendages oblong;

style branches: fused portions with slightly swollen basal nodes minutely hairy, distally papillate, distinct portions very short, apices triangular.

many in 6–8 series, outer round to ovate, bases tightly appressed, margins entire, apices widely scarious, obtuse or acute, inner lanceolate, margins entire, apices acute to acuminate, those of innermost bristly-ciliate or -plumose.

discoid, in (leafy-bracted) corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

obovoid, slightly compressed, smooth or with indistinct ribs, glabrous, attachment scars subbasal;

pappi ± falling, of many unequal setiform scales (“flattened bristles”), proximally barbed, distally plumose (at least the longer).

= 13.