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.

basal and cauline;

petiole 0.1–0.5(–0.8) cm;

blade linear to narrowly oblanceolate, (1–)1.5–5 × 0.1–0.3 cm, thinly to densely floccose adaxially, densely tomentose 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.

strict, white to greenish, open;

bracts usually 2, opposite, rarely in whorls of 3–5, short-petiolate, acerose, similar to proximal leaf blades only reduced, 0.3–3 cm × 1–3 mm, awns straight, 0.5–1 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.

usually congested in small terminal clusters of 1–3 at node of dichotomies, urceolate, ventricose basally, 3-angled, 6-ribbed, 3–4 mm, not corrugate, with conspicuous, white margins extending across sinuses, tomentose to floccose or glabrate with age, greenish to brownish;

teeth 6;

awns uncinate, 0.7–1.5 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.

1(–2), slightly exserted;

perianth white to rose, subcylindric, (1.5–)2.5–3 mm, densely pubescent abaxially;

tepals connate 2/3 their length, slightly dimorphic, entire and rounded apically, those of outer whorl obovate, those of inner whorl spatulate;

stamens slightly exserted;

filaments 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous;

anthers pink to red, oval, 0.2–0.3 mm.

brown, globose-lenticular, 3–3.5 mm.

2.5–3 mm.

= 38, 40, 42.

= 38, 40, (42), 80, 82, 84.