Flora of North America species comparison

1–few, few–many branched distally.

usually several–many from base, spreading, ± openly branched distally, loosely gray-tomentose.

basal and proximal cauline petiolate or tapering to base, usually absent at anthesis, blades oblong to oblanceolate, 2–15 cm, margins entire to dentate or pinnately lobed;

cauline long-decurrent, blades linear to oblong or oblanceolate, 1–5 cm, entire or dentate.

± loosely gray-tomentose;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, blades oblong, 5–10 cm, margins entire or pinnatifid with terminal segment largest, apices obtuse;

mid and distal cauline sessile, linear-lanceolate to oblong, blades usually not much smaller, entire, mucronate.

ovoid, 10–15 mm, loosely cobwebby-tomentose or becoming glabrous.

ovoid to campanulate, 15–20 mm.

many;

corollas yellow, those of sterile florets 10–12 mm, slender, inconspicuous, those of fertile florets 10–12 mm.

25–35;

corollas of sterile florets spreading, dark blue, 25–30 mm, enlarged, those of fertile florets purple, ca. 15 mm.

bodies green, ovate (outer) to oblong (inner), glabrous, margins and erect appendages silvery white to brown, scarious, fringed with slender teeth 1.5–2 mm.

appendages entire, acute or spine-tipped.

disciform, 1–few at branch tips, borne singly or in open leafy corymbiform arrays, sometimes clustered in distal axils, sessile or pedunculate.

radiant, borne singly, pedunculate.

dull white or light brown, ca. 2.5 mm, finely hairy;

pappi of many white, unequal, stiff bristles 2.5–3 mm.

brown, 4.5–6 mm, puberulent near attachment scar, otherwise glabrous;

pappi of outer series of unequal stiff bristles 2–8 mm, inner series of slender scales ca. 1.5 mm.

phyllaries: bodies ± stramineous, ovate, appendages purplish, spiny-fringed at base, each tipped by slender spine 5–10 mm.

= 24.

= 16 (Armenia).