Flora of North America species comparison

usually 1, erect, subglabrous to puberulent and/or tomentose;

branches 0–several, stiffly ascending.

1–several, erect, gray- or white-tomentose;

branches 0–few, ascending.

blades ± elliptic, 8–35 × 4–8 cm, divided about halfway to midveins, lobes spreading, triangular, coarsely dentate or with a few broad lobes, obtuse to acute, main spines 1–5 mm, abaxial faces green or gray, thinly tomentose, adaxial green and glabrous to sparingly pilose;

basal often present at flowering, spiny winged-petiolate;

main cauline reduced distally, bases clasping;

distal much reduced, linear-oblong, usually less deeply lobed and often spinier than proximal.

blades oblong-oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 4–40 × 1–10 cm, bases usually not decurrent, finely spiny-toothed and undivided to coarsely toothed or deeply pinnatifid, lobes broadly triangular to linear-lanceolate, often revolute-margined, main spines 1–7 mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose, adaxial faces green, thinly tomentose, ± glabrate;

basal usually absent or withered at flowering, winged petiolate;

principal cauline proximally winged-petiolate, distally sessile, well distributed, gradually reduced, bases usually not decurrent;

distal cauline well developed.

0–20 cm.

0–5 cm (elevated above distal leaves).

broadly cylindric to narrowly campanulate, 3–5 × 2–4 cm, loosely arachnoid or ± glabrous, finely short-ciliate.

ovoid to broadly campanulate, 2–3.5 × 2.5–3.5 cm, thinly arachnoid.

red to reddish purple, 30–45 mm, tubes 10–20 mm, throats 10–16 mm, lobes 9–11 mm;

style tips 3.5–5 mm.

purple (white), 23–36 mm, tubes 12–15 mm, throats 6–8.5 mm, lobes 5–9 mm;

style tips 4–7 mm.

in 6–8 series, imbricate, outer green, inner purple to red, linear-lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces without glutinous ridge;

outer and mid bodies short, appressed, entire or spinulose-ciliate, apices long-spreading to ascending, entire or spinulose-ciliate or rarely with expanded, fringed appendages, spines straight, weak, 1–3 mm;

apices of inner red to purple, straight or rarely twisted, long, flat, entire.

in 7–12 series, strongly imbricate, greenish with subapical darker central zone, ovate or lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle entire, bodies appressed, entire, acute, spines abruptly spreading, slender, 2–4 mm;

apices of inner spreading, flexuous, narrow, flattened, finely serrulate, ± scabrous.

1–6, borne singly or in corymbiform, racemiform, or spiciform arrays.

erect, borne singly and terminal on main stem and branches, or few in corymbiform arrays from distal axils (not subtended by ring of spiny-margined bracts).

brown, 6–7 mm, apical collars narrow;

pappi 25–40 mm.

light brown, 3–5 mm, apical collars stramineous, 0.5–1 mm;

pappi (white or tawny) 20–30 mm.

= 32, 64.

= 22, 24.