Flora of North America species comparison

single, erect, villous with septate trichomes, sometimes ± glabrate, sometimes distally thinly tomentose;

branches few–many, ascending.

1–several, erect, thinly gray-tomentose with fine, non-septate trichomes;

branches 0–many, ascending.

blades oblanceolate to elliptic or ovate, 10–40 × 1–13 cm, margins flat, finely spiny-toothed and otherwise undivided to coarsely toothed or shallowly pinnatifid, lobes broadly triangular, main spines 1–5 mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose, adaxial faces green, glabrate to villous with septate trichomes;

basal usually absent at flowering, winged-petiolate, bases tapered;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced, bases narrowed, sometimes weakly clasping;

distal cauline well developed.

oblanceolate or elliptic, 15–45 × 2–10 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose to dentate or deeply pinnatifid, lobes well separated, linear to triangular-ovate, merely spinulose to few toothed or lobed near base, margins often revolute, main spines 2–3(–6) mm, abaxial faces densely gray-tomentose, adaxial green, thinly tomentose or ± glabrate;

basal often present at flowering, narrowly winged-petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced distally, bases of proximal cauline winged-petiolate or sessile, bases of distal cauline expanded and ± clasping, margins sometimes spinier than those of proximal;

distalmost cauline becoming bractlike, often unlobed or less deeply divided than proximal.

0–5 cm (leafy-bracted).

1–8 cm.

ovoid to broadly cylindric or campanulate, (2–)2.5–3.5(–4) × (1.5–)2–3(–4) cm, thinly arachnoid.

hemispheric to campanulate, 2.5–3.5 × 2–4 cm, glabrous or loosely floccose.

tips 4–6 mm.

pink to purple (white), 20–35 mm, tubes 10–16 mm, throats 5–12 mm, lobes 5–9 mm.

creamy white, rarely lavender-tinged, 22–28 mm, tubes 8–13 mm, throats 7–11 mm, lobes 4–6 mm;

style tips 5–6 mm.

in 10–20 series, strongly imbricate, greenish with subapical darker central zone, ovate (outer) to lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with a narrow glutinous ridge (milky when fresh, dark when dry), outer and middle entire, bodies appressed, spines slender, abruptly spreading, 3–4 mm;

apices of inner phyllaries spreading, narrow, flattened, entire, spines spreading, slender, 3–4 mm;

apices of inner phyllaries spreading, narrow, flattened, ± dilated, ± erose or finely serrulate.

in 6–10 series, strongly imbricate, greenish to brown, ovate to lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, bodies entire, spines abruptly spreading, fine, 2–3(–5) mm;

apices of inner commonly flexuous or reflexed, flat, scarious.

1–many, in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays, (± elevated above principal cauline leaves), not subtended by ring of spiny bracts.

borne singly and terminal on main stems and branches or few from distal axils in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

tan to dark brown, 4–5.5 mm, apical collars stramineous, 0.5–1 mm;

pappi 12–24 mm.

brown, 5–6 mm, apical collars yellowish, 0.5–1 mm;

pappi 18–22 mm.

= 18.

= 22, 26.