Flora of North America species comparison

basal;

petiole 0.5–2(–3) cm;

blade oblanceolate, 0.5–2.5 × 0.3–1 cm, thinly pubescent adaxially, soft-hirsute abaxially.

with involucres in open clusters 2–4(–6) cm diam., greenish or reddish;

bracts 2–3 at proximal node, usually leaflike, without whorl of sessile bracts about midstem, elliptic, 0.5–1.5 cm × 2–6(–8) mm, abruptly reduced above proximal node, becoming scalelike, linear, aciculate, acerose, 0.2–1 cm × 1–3 mm, awns straight, 1–2 mm.

3–10+, grayish, urceolate, slightly ventricose basally, 3–4 mm, slightly corrugate, without scarious or membranous margins, thinly to densely pubescent;

teeth erect to spreading, unequal, 1–2 mm;

awns straight or uncinate with longer anterior one straight, mostly 1 mm, others uncinate, 0.5–1 mm.

exserted;

perianth bicolored with floral tube greenish white to white and tepals white to pink, cylindric, 4–4.5(–5) mm, sparsely pubescent;

tepals connate 1/2 their length, dimorphic, obovate, those of outer whorl spreading, 2 times longer than those of inner whorl, rounded or slightly obcordate apically, those of inner whorl erect, narrower, fimbriate apically;

stamens (6–)9, mostly included;

filaments distinct, 4–4.5 mm, glabrous;

anthers yellow to golden, oblong, 0.9–1.1 mm.

brown, globose-lenticular, 3–3.5 mm.

= 38, 40, 42.