Flora of North America species comparison

single, erect, often branched above middle, thinly arachnoid-tomentose, ± glabrate;

branches few, ascending.

1–several, erect, thinly gray-tomentose with fine, non-septate trichomes;

branches 0–many, ascending.

blades elliptic or ovate, 5–20 × 1–10 cm, usually deeply pinnatifid, lobes narrowly to broadly triangular, sinuses broad, rounded (basal and distal cauline sometimes less divided, lobes linear-lanceolate), margins revolute, spreading, entire or spinulose to remotely few-toothed or sharply lobed, main spines slender, 1–5 mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose, adaxial green, villous with septate trichomes or glabrate;

basal usually absent at flowering, winged-petiolate, bases tapered;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced, bases narrowed, sometimes weakly clasping;

distal reduced, widely separated, distalmost bractlike.

oblanceolate or elliptic, 15–45 × 2–10 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose to dentate or deeply pinnatifid, lobes well separated, linear to triangular-ovate, merely spinulose to few toothed or lobed near base, margins often revolute, main spines 2–3(–6) mm, abaxial faces densely gray-tomentose, adaxial green, thinly tomentose or ± glabrate;

basal often present at flowering, narrowly winged-petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced distally, bases of proximal cauline winged-petiolate or sessile, bases of distal cauline expanded and ± clasping, margins sometimes spinier than those of proximal;

distalmost cauline becoming bractlike, often unlobed or less deeply divided than proximal.

2–20+ cm, essentially naked with much reduced bracts.

1–8 cm.

ovoid to broadly cylindric or campanulate, 2.5–3.5 × 2–3 cm, thinly arachnoid.

hemispheric to campanulate, 2.5–3.5 × 2–4 cm, glabrous or loosely floccose.

pink to purple (white), 32–38 mm, tubes 15–20 mm, throats 6–9 mm, lobes 8–11 mm;

style tips 5–6 mm.

creamy white, rarely lavender-tinged, 22–28 mm, tubes 8–13 mm, throats 7–11 mm, lobes 4–6 mm;

style tips 5–6 mm.

in 10–12 series, strongly imbricate, greenish with subapical darker central zone, ovate (outer) to lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

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

apices of inner phyllaries narrow, flexuous, flattened, entire or finely erose.

in 6–10 series, strongly imbricate, greenish to brown, ovate to lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, bodies entire, spines abruptly spreading, fine, 2–3(–5) mm;

apices of inner commonly flexuous or reflexed, flat, scarious.

1–10+, borne at tips of main stem and branches.

borne singly and terminal on main stems and branches or few from distal axils in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

brown, 5–6 mm, apical collars yellow, ca. 1 mm;

pappi 25–30 mm.

brown, 5–6 mm, apical collars yellowish, 0.5–1 mm;

pappi 18–22 mm.

= 18 (as C. terrae-nigrae), 20 + 1B.

= 22, 26.