Flora of North America species comparison

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

branches 0–many, ascending.

1–several, erect, thinly arachnoid to densely white-tomentose;

branches 0–few, ascending.

blades oblanceolate or elliptic, 10–35 × 1–7 cm, unlobed and spinulose to dentate or deeply pinnatifid, usually 5–8 pairs of lobes, well separated, linear to lance-triangular, spinulose to few toothed or lobed, main spines 2–7 mm, abaxial faces densely gray-tomentose or sometimes ± glabrate, adaxial gray to ± green, thinly tomentose or ± glabrate;

basal sometimes present at flowering, narrowly winged-petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced, sometimes spinier than basal;

proximal winged-petiolate, mid sessile, bases spiny-winged, decurrent 1–3 cm;

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

blades oblong-elliptic, 10–30 × 3–12 cm, margins finely spiny-toothed and otherwise undivided to coarsely dentate, shallowly lobed, or deeply laciniate-pinnatifid, lobes broadly triangular to linear-lanceolate, main spines 1–6 mm, abaxial white-tomentose, adaxial faces ± green, thinly to densely arachnoid-tomentose;

basal often present at flowering, winged petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, proximally winged-petiolate, distally sessile, gradually reduced, bases auriculate-clasping or short-decurrent as spiny wings;

distal cauline few, reduced to linear bracts.

0–25 cm.

0–15 cm.

ovoid or hemispheric to campanulate, 2–3 × 1.5–5 cm, glabrous or loosely floccose to densely arachnoid.

ovoid to hemispheric, 1.5–2.3 × 1.5–3 cm, thinly arachnoid, ± glabrate.

dull white or faintly lavender-tinged to bright pink-purple, 19–31 mm, tubes 7–13 mm, throats 6.5–9.5 mm, lobes 4–8 mm;

style tips 3.5–7 mm.

dull white to lavender, 15–25 mm, tubes 7–11 mm, throats 5–7 mm, lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 5–7 mm.

in 6–10 series, strongly imbricate or sometimes subequal, greenish to brown, ovate to linear-lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), entire, abaxial faces with narrow or scarcely developed glutinous ridge;

outer and mid appressed or apices ascending to spreading, linear, bodies entire, spines ascending to abruptly spreading, usually fine, 2–6 mm;

apices of inner narrow, spine-tipped or spineless.

in 5–7 series, strongly imbricate, greenish with subapical darker central zone, lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle bodies appressed, entire, apices entire or finely serrulate, spines ascending, slender, 1–3 mm;

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

1–many, in open corymbiform arrays or crowded near stem tips.

borne singly and terminal on main stem and branches, or few in corymbiform arrays.

brown, 5–8 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 12–25 mm.

brown, 3.5–7 mm, apical collars tan, 0.1–0.2 mm;

pappi white or tawny, 15–20 mm.

= 32, 34, 36.