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.

1–many, erect, glabrous to appressed gray-tomentose;

branches 0–many, 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 oblong to elliptic, 3–30 × 1–6 cm, margins plane to revolute, entire and spinulose, dentate, or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes well separated, lance-oblong to triangular-ovate, spinulose to few-toothed or few-lobed near base, main spines 1–7 mm, abaxial faces glabrous to densely gray-tomentose, adaxial green, glabrous to thinly tomentose;

basal absent at flowering, petioles narrowly winged, bases tapered;

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

distal cauline becoming bractlike, entire, toothed, or lobed, spinulose or not.

0–10 cm.

0.2–7 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 in flower, ± campanulate in fruit, 1–2 × 1–2 cm, arachnoid tomentose, ± glabrate.

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.

purple (white or pink); staminate 12–18 mm, (remaining longer than pappus when head is fully mature), tubes 8–11 mm, throats 1–1.5 mm, lobes 3–5 mm; pistillate 14–20 mm, (overtopped by pappi in fruit), tubes 10–15 mm, throats ca. 1 mm, lobes 2–3 mm;

style tips 1–2 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 6–8 series, strongly imbricate, (usually purple-tinged), ovate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge, outer and middle appressed, entire, apices ascending to spreading, spines 0–1 mm (fine);

apices of inner phyllaries flat, ± flexuous, margins entire to minutely erose or ciliolate.

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

1–many, borne singly or in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays at tips of main stem and branches.

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

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

brown, 2–4 mm, apical collar not differentiated;

pappi 13–32 mm, exceeding corollas.

= 34, 36.

= 34.