Flora of North America species comparison

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

branches 0–several, stiffly ascending.

usually single, erect, glabrous or villous with septate trichomes;

branches few–many, 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 narrowly to broadly elliptic, (10–)15–60 × (2–)5–15 cm, thin, ± flexible, deeply pinnatifid, lobes narrow, spreading, coarsely dentate or lobed, main spines 2–5 mm, abaxial faces thinly tomentose but often wholly glabrate in age, adaxial glabrous or sparsely villous with septate trichomes;

basal often absent at flowering, petioles slender, winged, bases tapered;

principal cauline becoming sessile and gradually reduced distally, bases spiny-lobed, sometimes decurrent;

distal reduced to linear bracts.

0–20 cm.

1–15 cm, essentially naked (not overtopped by crowded distal leaves).

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

hemispheric to campanulate, 1.5–2.5 × 1–2.5 cm, thinly arachnoid or glabrate.

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.

white to pink, lavender, or purple, 17–25 mm, tubes 5–11 mm, throats 4–7 mm (noticeably wider than tubes), lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 3–4.5 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 6–10 series, strongly imbricate, green or brownish, ovate or elliptic (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, bodies entire, spines abruptly spreading, slender, 1–2(–3) mm;

apices of inner often flexuous, flat, attenuate.

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

few–many, in open corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

brown, 6–7 mm, apical collars narrow;

pappi 25–40 mm.

dark brown, 3–4 mm, apical collars stramineous, 0.5 mm;

pappi 17–21 mm (longer bristles shorter than corollas).

= 32, 64.

= 24, 26, 28.