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, simple or sparingly branched in distal 1/2, glabrous or thinly arachnoid and sparingly villous with jointed trichomes.

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 to elliptic or oblanceolate, 15–30+ × 2–7 cm, deeply 2–3-pinnately divided, lobes linear to linear-lanceolate, spinulose to spiny-dentate or shallowly lobed, main spines slender, 2–8 mm, abaxial faces glabrous to thinly tomentose and villous along major veins, soon glabrescent, adaxial glabrous;

basal present at flowering, narrowly spiny winged-petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, proximal winged-petiolate, mid and distal sessile, gradually reduced, bases decurrent as spiny wings 1–3 cm;

distalmost reduced to spiny-pectinate bracts.

0–25 cm.

0–4 cm.

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

ovoid, 1.8–2.5 cm, 1.5–2.5 cm diam., loosely 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.

white to pink or pink-purple, 16–20 mm, tubes 6–8 mm, throats 5–6 mm, lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 3.5–4.5 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 5–6 series, imbricate, green, linear-lanceolate, abaxial faces without or with poorly developed glutinous ridge;

outer and mid bases appressed, apices stiffly radiating to ascending, long, very narrow, entire, spines slender, 3–10 mm;

apices of inner straight, flexuous.

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

1–few, erect, ± crowded in corymbiform arrays.

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

pappi 12–25 mm.

brown, ca. 4 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 13–17 mm.

= 32, 34, 36.