Flora of North America species comparison

usually 1, erect, ± densely gray-tomentose with fine, non-septate trichomes;

branches 0 or few, usually above middle in distal 1/2, ascending.

several, erect to spreading, thinly arachnoid, soon glabrous;

branches ± fleshy, usually much branched proximally, spreading to ascending.

blades oblong to elliptic or obovate, 10–25(–40) × 2–6(–12) cm, coarsely dentate or shallowly lobed to deeply pinnatifid, lobes well separated, triangular to linear or oblong, often revolute-margined, ascending to spreading, spinulose to spinose-dentate, main spines 2–3(–10) mm, faces gray-tomentose, more densely abaxially, sometimes glabrate adaxially;

basal usually present at flowering, winged-petiolate;

principal cauline progressively reduced distally, bases decurrent as spiny wings 1–5 cm, sometimes with expanded auricles;

distal cauline usually much reduced, less lobed.

blades ± elliptic, 30–75 × 10–20 cm, shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes oblong to ovate, unlobed or with several prominent secondary lobes or large teeth, obtuse to acute, main spines 2–7 mm, abaxial gray arachnoid-tomentose, adaxial faces thinly arachnoid, glabrate;

basal often present at flowering, spiny winged-petiolate;

principal cauline sessile, bases clasping with broad, spiny-margined auricles, reduced distally, spinier than proximal;

distal much reduced, spines 7–20 mm.

0–10 cm.

0–7 cm.

hemispheric to broadly campanulate, usually truncate or indented at base, 3–4 × 2.5–4 cm in first-formed heads, often smaller (1.5–2 cm) in later ones, loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.

ovoid to hemispheric or campanulate, 1.5–3 × 1.5–5 cm, sparsely to densely arachnoid, finely short-ciliate.

dull white or lavender-tinged, 20–35 mm, tubes 10–17 mm, throats 6–11 mm, lobes 4–9 mm;

style tips 5–8 mm.

dark reddish purple, 17–24 mm, tubes 8–11 mm, throats 3.5–6 mm, lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 3–4 mm.

in 6–9 series, imbricate, ovate-lanceolate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

bodies of outer and middle appressed, acute, spines ascending to spreading, 2–4(–8) mm;

apices of inner expanded and flat, often twisted, scabrid-margined, and erose, spineless.

in ca. 6 series, dark green or brown or with stramineous margins and a darker central zone, imbricate, linear-lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces without glutinous ridge;

outer and mid bodies appressed, spiny-ciliate, apices long-spreading to ascending long-acuminate, spines straight, stout, 5–15 mm;

apices of inner straight or twisted, long, entire, flat or spine-tipped.

1–10+, terminal on branches or in distal axils, in openly corymbiform to racemiform arrays.

several–many, in congested corymbiform arrays.

light brown, 5–7 mm, sometimes with darker streaks, apical collar very narrow, lighter colored;

pappi 18–30 mm, usually noticeably shorter than corolla.

dark brown, 4–5 mm, apical collars narrow;

pappi 15 mm.

= 34, 36.

= 32.