Flora of North America species comparison

usually 1 and erect, less commonly several and ascending, simple to sparingly short-branched in distal 1/2, variably villous with jointed trichomes, and/or finely arachnoid, or ± glabrate;

branches on distal stems 0–many, short, ascending.

1–several, (fleshy), erect or ascending, simple to sparingly branched in distal 1/2, sometimes openly branched, glabrous to villous or tomentose with septate trichomes, sometimes ± glabrate;

branches on distal stems 0–many, ascending.

blades linear-oblong to elliptic, 5–25 × 1–8 cm, subentire to coarsely dentate or deeply pinnatifid, lobes lance-oblong to broadly triangular, spinulose to spiny-dentate or shallowly lobed, main spines 2–10 mm, abaxial faces usually ± densely gray- or white-tomentose with felted arachnoid trichomes, ± villous to tomentose along major veins with septate trichomes, sometimes glabrous or glabrate, adaxial ± green, glabrous to thinly arachnoid, often ± villous or tomentose with septate trichomes;

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

principal cauline well distributed, proximally winged-petiolate, distally sessile, gradually reduced, bases sometimes short-decurrent;

distal ± reduced, often narrower than proximal, sometimes with non-pigmented bases, sometimes pectinately spiny.

blades oblong, 10–30 × 1–5 cm, margins usually strongly undulate, unlobed and spiny-dentate or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid with 10–20 pairs of lobes, teeth or lobes closely spaced, often overlapping, lance-oblong to broadly triangular, deeply 3-lobed, ± spiny-dentate, main spines 2–12 mm, abaxial faces glabrous or villous with septate trichomes along midveins to densely arachnoid-tomentose, adaxial glabrous or villous with septate trichomes along midveins;

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

principal cauline many, well distributed, proximally ± winged-petiolate, distally sessile, gradually reduced;

distal not much reduced, often closely subtending heads.

0–8+ cm.

0–14+ cm.

(green or often purplish), broadly ovoid, 2–3.3 × 1.5–4 cm, loosely to densely villous with septate trichomes to tomentose and/or arachnoid.

green or suffused with dark purple, broadly ovoid to campanulate, 2–5 × 1.5–5 cm (appearing wider when pressed), loosely to densely villous or tomentose with septate trichomes and/or arachnoid-tomentose with finer, non-septate trichomes.

white, ochroleucous, or occasionally pink, 20–28 mm, tubes 10–13 mm, throats 6.5–9 mm, lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 3–5.5 mm.

ochroleucous or yellow to lavender, pink, or purple, 15–35 mm, tubes 3.5–10 mm, throats 5–14 mm, lobes (linear), 4–12.5 mm;

style tips 3–6 mm, conspicuously exserted beyond corolla lobes.

in 4–8 series, imbricate to subequal, bases short-appressed, entire, abaxial faces with or without narrow glutinous ridge, apices stiffly spreading to ascending, linear, long, plane, spines straight, slender, 3–5 mm;

apices of inner flexuous, sometimes expanded and erose.

in 4–5 series, subequal, bases short-appressed, abaxial faces without or with very narrow glutinous ridge, apices usually stiffly ascending to spreading, linear-acicular, tapering to spines 7–35 mm;

outer usually pinnately spiny, sometimes entire;

apices of inner straight, plane or spine-tipped.

1–many, borne singly or crowded in spiciform, racemiform, subcapitate, or sometimes more openly branched corymbiform arrays.

1–many, erect or nodding, closely subtended by spiny-fringed bracts, usually sessile or short-pedunculate and crowded in subcapitate, spiciform, or racemiform (less commonly in openly branched) arrays.

dark brown, 5–6.5 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 18–22 mm.

dark brown, 5.5–7 mm, apical collars stramineous or not differentiated;

pappi 12–25 mm.

= 34.