Flora of North America species comparison

1–several, erect or ascending, densely gray-tomentose;

branches few–many, ascending to spreading.

blades oblong-elliptic to obovate, 10–60 × 2–15 cm, unlobed or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes lanceolate to ovate-triangular, ascending to spreading, entire to coarsely dentate or lobed, main spines slender to stout, 2–30 mm, faces densely gray-tomentose, rarely glabrate;

basal present at flowering, petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, proximal winged-petiolate, distal sessile, bases auriculate-clasping or decurrent as a spiny wing 1–3 cm;

distalmost well separated, bractlike.

0–4(–8) cm.

ovoid to hemispheric, 1.5–3 cm, 2–4.5 cm diam, loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.

rose-purple (white or pinkish-tinged), 18–21 mm, tubes 8–9 mm, throats 5–6 mm (abruptly expanded), lobes 5–6 mm;

style tips 3–4.5 mm.

in 6–8 series, imbricate, often with dark purple patch near tip, ovate-lanceolate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with linear to elliptic glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, entire, spines spreading, 1–9 mm;

apices of inner often purple-tinged, often flexuous, flattened, spineless, scabrid.

10–many, often crowded at branch tips, collectively forming paniculiform arrays.

dark brown to black, 5–6 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 15–20 mm.