Flora of North America species comparison

basal or nearly so;

petiole 1–2(–3) cm;

blade oblong or oblong-ovate to ovate, 0.3–1(–1.5) × 0.3–0.8(–1) cm, thinly pubescent adaxially, densely tomentose abaxially.

basal;

petiole 1–3 cm;

blade oblanceolate, 1–3 × 0.4–0.8 cm, thinly pubescent.

mostly flat-topped and openly branched, usually reddish;

bracts persistent, 2, usually leaflike at proximal nodes and similar to proximal leaf blades only more reduced, short-petiolate, oblong-ovate to ovate, 0.3–0.8 cm × 2–6 mm, becoming sessile, reduced and scalelike at distal nodes, linear, acicular, often acerose, 0.1–0.4 cm × 0.5–1 mm, awns straight, 0.5–1 mm.

with involucres in dense clusters 2–4 cm diam., greenish or reddish to purple;

bracts 2–3 at proximal node, usually leaflike, often with whorl of sessile bracts about midstem, elliptic, 0.5–1.5 cm × 2–6 mm, becoming gradually lanceolate to elliptic, 0.2–1 cm × 1.5–5 mm, at distal nodes scalelike, linear and aciculate, acerose, awns straight, 1–3 mm.

in open clusters with 1 at node of dichotomies, reddish, cylindric, not ventricose, 3–4.5 mm, not corrugate, without scarious or membranous margins, thinly to densely pubescent;

teeth spreading, unequal, 0.7–1.5 mm, 3 longer ones more erect than 3 shorter and less-prominent ones;

awns uncinate, 0.5–1 mm.

3–10 or more, reddish to purplish, urceolate, slightly ventricose basally, 3.5–4 mm, without scarious or membranous margins, slightly corrugate, thinly pubescent with slender, curly hairs;

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

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

long-exserted;

perianth rose to red, infrequently with white lobes, cylindric, 4.5–6 mm, pubescent;

tepals connate ca. 2/3 their length, monomorphic to slightly dimorphic, narrowly oblanceolate, rounded apically, those of outer whorl occasionally slightly broader and longer than those of inner whorl;

stamens 9, mostly included;

filaments distinct, 4–6 mm, glabrous;

anthers pink to red, oblong, 0.5–0.6 mm.

exserted;

perianth bicolored with floral tube white to yellow and tepals red, maroon, or dark purple, cylindric, 4–5 mm, glabrous or with few scattered hairs along midrib ca. midlength;

tepals erect, connate 1/2 their length, dimorphic, obovate, those of outer whorl slightly longer than inner whorl, entire, rounded apically, those of inner whorl fimbriate and truncate or somewhat 2-lobed;

stamens 9, exserted;

filaments distinct, 4–5 mm, glabrous;

anthers pink to red or maroon, oblong, 0.9–1 mm.

brown, lenticular, 4–4.5 mm.

brown, globose-lenticular, 3–3.5 mm.

= 38, 40, (48).