Flora of North America species comparison

1–several, erect, proximally simple, distally branched, ± densely gray-tomentose;

branches 0–many, ascending to spreading.

usually 1, erect, less commonly several, ascending, simple to sparingly short-branched in distal 1/2, less commonly openly branched, villous with jointed trichomes;

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

blades oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, 10–60 × 2–15 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose or spiny-dentate or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes linear-lanceolate to ovate-triangular, spreading, entire to coarsely dentate, main spines slender to stout, 3–30 mm, faces ± gray-tomentose, sometimes ± glabrate;

basal often present at flowering, winged-petiolate;

principal cauline decreasing distally, proximal winged-petiolate, distal sessile, bases decurrent as spiny wings 1–5 cm;

distalmost well separated, bractlike.

blades linear to oblong or elliptic, 10–30+ × 1–10 cm, margins flat to undulate, subentire to coarsely dentate or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes lance-oblong to broadly triangular, spinulose to spiny-dentate or shallowly lobed, main spines 3–12 mm, abaxial faces green and subglabrous to gray- or white-tomentose with felted arachnoid trichomes, ± villous to tomentose along major veins with septate trichomes, rarely glabrous or glabrate, adaxial ± green, glabrous or villous 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 (0–2 cm);

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

0–15 cm.

0–15+ cm.

ovoid to hemispheric, 1.5–2.5 × 1.5–2 cm, loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.

(green), broadly ovoid, 1.5–2.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, loosely villous with septate trichomes, sparingly if at all arachnoid.

white to pink or lavender, 16–25 mm, tubes 7–12 mm, throats 4–7 mm, lobes 4–8 mm, style tips 3–4 mm.

white, ochroleucous, 19–23 mm, tubes 6.5–8.5 mm, throats 7.5–11 mm, lobes 4–5 mm;

style tips 4–5.5 mm, conspicuously exserted.

in 5–8 series, imbricate, (inner greenish to brown or stramineous), lanceolate or ovate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), entire, abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, spines spreading, 3–7 mm;

apices of inner often flexuous, flattened, spineless, scabrid.

in 4–8 series, subequal, ± lanceolate, bases appressed, apices ascending, linear to broadly expanded, erose to lacerate or spiny-fringed, spines straight, slender, 2–3 mm, abaxial faces with or without narrow glutinous ridge;

apices of inner flexuous, sometimes expanded and erose.

1–many, in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

several–many, erect, usually in racemiform or spiciform arrays, usually closely subtended by clustered ± leafy bracts.

stramineous to dark brown, 3–6 mm, apical collars 0.2–0.3 mm, yellowish;

pappi 14–16 mm.

brown, 5.5–6.5 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 17–20 mm.

= 30, 32.

= 34.