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 or ascending to lax and hanging, glabrous or thinly 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 elliptic, 30–90+ × 10–40 cm, 1–2 times pinnately lobed, lobes linear to ovate, strongly undulate, main spines slender, 5–15 mm, faces often glaucous, glabrous or thinly tomentose and soon glabrescent;

basal present at flowering, petiolate or winged-petiolate;

proximal cauline winged-petiolate;

mid sessile, much reduced, less deeply lobed, bases clasping, short-decurrent 0–2 cm;

distal linear or lanceolate, bractlike, very spiny.

0–25 cm.

0.5–6 cm.

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

hemispheric, 1.4–2 × 1–2 cm, phyllary margins thinly tomentose or 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 pink or purple, 16–20 mm, tubes 7–8.5 mm, throats 4–6.5 mm, lobes 4.5–6 mm;

style tips 2.5 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 5–8 series, strongly imbricate, (green, drying green or light brown), ovate to lance-oblong, abaxial faces with or without poorly developed glutinous ridge;

outer and mid bases appressed, margins entire, not scabridulous-ciliolate, apices spreading or reflexed, green to brownish, lance-ovate, elongate, flattened, spines slender, 3–25 mm;

apices of inner straight, entire.

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

few–many, erect or nodding in clusters at tips of distal branches in paniculiform arrays, not closely subtended by clustered leafy bracts.

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

pappi 12–25 mm.

gray or brown, 3.7–4.5 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 10–15 mm.

= 32, 34, 36.

= 34.