Flora of North America species comparison

1–several, erect, gray- or white-tomentose;

branches 0–few, ascending.

1, erect, thinly arachnoid and/or puberulent to short-pilose, sometimes ± glabrate;

branches 0–4, ascending.

blades oblong-oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 4–40 × 1–10 cm, bases usually not decurrent, finely spiny-toothed and undivided to coarsely toothed or deeply pinnatifid, lobes broadly triangular to linear-lanceolate, often revolute-margined, main spines 1–7 mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose, adaxial faces green, thinly tomentose, ± glabrate;

basal usually absent or withered at flowering, winged petiolate;

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

distal cauline well developed.

blades oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic, 20–30 × 3–8 cm, spinulose and otherwise entire or coarsely dentate to deeply pinnatifid, lobes entire or coarsely few toothed or lobed, main spines slender, 3–6 mm, abaxial ± persistently gray-tomentose, sometimes pilose along veins, adaxial faces thinly arachnoid and ± glabrate;

basal often present at flowering, sessile or narrowly winged-petiolate;

principal cauline gradually winged-petiolate or sessile, reduced distally, bases sometimes clasping or short-decurrent;

distal cauline ascending, becoming bractlike, narrow, lobed or not.

0–5 cm (elevated above distal leaves).

10–30 cm.

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

hemispheric, 2–3 × 2–4 cm, thinly arachnoid or glabrous.

purple (white), 23–36 mm, tubes 12–15 mm, throats 6–8.5 mm, lobes 5–9 mm;

style tips 4–7 mm.

deep purple, 22–30 mm, tubes 13–18 mm, throats 4–5 mm, lobes 5–8 mm;

style tips 4–4.5 mm.

in 7–12 series, strongly imbricate, greenish with subapical darker central zone, ovate or lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

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

apices of inner spreading, flexuous, narrow, flattened, finely serrulate, ± scabrous.

in ca. 8 series, imbricate, proximally brownish, distally dark purplish, lanceolate to linear, margins of outer hispidulous-ciliolate, spiny fringed, pinnately spiny or with scarious appendages, abaxial faces with prominent, glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed or only apices spreading, bodies minutely spinulose-denticulate, spines erect to ascending, 1.5–2.5 mm;

apices of inner phyllaries often flexuous, flat, scabridulous.

erect, borne singly and terminal on main stem and branches, or few in corymbiform arrays from distal axils (not subtended by ring of spiny-margined bracts).

1–5.

light brown, 3–5 mm, apical collars stramineous, 0.5–1 mm;

pappi (white or tawny) 20–30 mm.

tan with dark speckles to dark purplish brown, 4–5.5 mm, apical collars not differently colored;

pappi 13–18 mm.

= 22, 24.

= 32 (Mexico).