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.

usually single, erect, thinly appressed-tomentose, ± glabrate in age;

branches 0–few in distal 1/3, 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.

very numerous, firm-textured, blades 3–15 cm, thick, ± rigid, linear or linear-elliptic, 0.5–2 cm wide and spinulose, or narrowly ovate, 2–4 cm wide, deeply lobed, lobes remote, spreading, separated by broad sinuses, few toothed or lobed, margins often revolute, main spines slender, 3–5(–9) mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose, adaxial green, glabrous or thinly tomentose;

basal usually absent at flowering, winged-petiolate;

proximal cauline usually absent at flowering, well separated, winged-petiolate;

middle and distal numerous (30–70+), sessile, well distributed, gradually reduced distally, bases tapered, not decurrent;

distal linear, entire or few lobed, ca. 1 cm.

0–8+ cm.

10–15 cm (not overtopped by distal leaves).

(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.

ovoid to cylindric or narrowly campanulate, 1.7–2.4 × 1–2 cm, glabrous or outer phyllaries very thinly tomentose.

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.

purple, 21–26 mm, tubes 8.5–11 mm, throats 6–8 mm (noticeably wider than tubes), lobes 4–8 mm;

style tips 3.5–5 mm.

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 8–13 series, strongly imbricate, light green to brownish with dark apices, ovate (outer) to narrowly linear-elliptic (inner), abaxial faces with evident, narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, bodies entire, apices erect or spreading, muticous to short-spinose, spines ascending to spreading, weak, 1–2 mm;

apices of inner all straight and entire or innermost ± flexuous, erose.

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

1–10+ in open, corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

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

pappi 18–22 mm.

dark brown, 4–5 mm, apical collars yellowish, 0.5–1;

pappi 17–20 mm.

= 34.

= 28.