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, thinly arachnoid-tomentose, sparsely pilose distally with short, jointed trichomes;

branches few to many, often arising from proximal nodes, 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 oblong to elliptic, 15–30 × 2–6 cm, often unlobed and merely spinulose or spiny-dentate, sometimes pinnatifid ca. halfway to midveins, lobes separated by broad sinuses, undivided to coarsely few-dentate, main spines slender, 2–5(–10) mm, abaxial faces ± persistently thinly gray-tomentose, adaxial green, glabrous to thinly tomentose, sometimes sparsely pilose on midveins;

basal sometimes present at flowering, sessile or short winged-petiolate;

principal cauline sessile, progressively reduced, becoming bractlike distally, mid and distal bases broadly clasping;

distal reduced to linear or lanceolate bracts.

0–15 cm.

(0–)3–20 cm.

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

hemispheric to subspheric, 1.3–2.5 × (1–)1.5–2.5 cm, glabrous to loosely floccose.

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.

lavender to reddish purple, (16–)19–22 mm, tubes 6–9 mm, throats 5–8 mm, lobes 5–7 mm, style tips 5–6 mm.

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 5–8(–10) series, strongly imbricate, green with darker green to brown subapical patch, broadly ovate or oblong (outer) to lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with prominent to obscure glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, spines or terminal appendages spreading to reflexed, bodies entire or with expanded, ± scarious, ± pectinately fringed terminal appendages, tips merely mucronate or with weak spines spreading to reflexed, 1–3 mm;

apices of inner often flexuous, flat, scarious, serrulate to expanded and pectinately fringed.

1–many, in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

few–many, in ± openly branched corymbiform or paniculiform arrays;

not 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.

dark brown, 4–5 mm, apical collars stramineous or not differently colored, very narrow;

pappi 15–17 mm.

= 30, 32.