Flora of North America species comparison

single, erect, villous with septate trichomes or glabrate, distally sometimes thinly tomentose;

branches few–many, ascending.

ovate to broadly elliptic or obovate, 15–55 × 4–20 cm, deeply pinnatifid, to 7/8 to midribs, lobes linear to lanceolate, acute to acuminate, irregularly few toothed or lobed, main spines 2–3 mm, abaxial faces thinly tomentose or glabrate, villous with septate trichomes on the veins, adaxial faces thinly pilose;

basal usually absent at flowering, petioles spiny-winged, bases tapered;

principal cauline petiolate or sessile, gradually reduced distally, bases sometimes ± clasping, not decurrent;

distal cauline bractlike with narrowly linear lobes, often spinier than the proximal.

0–15 cm (sometimes overtopped by distal cauline leaves, not subtended by involucre-like ring of bracts).

ovoid to broadly cylindric or campanulate, 1.7–3 × 1–3 cm, arachnoid.

lavender or purple (white), 16–32 mm, tubes 7–15 mm, throats 4.5–10 mm (noticeably wider than tubes), lobes 4–8 mm;

style tips 3.5–5 mm.

in 8–12 series, strongly imbricate, dull green with darker subapical patch, ovate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge, outer and middle appressed, bodies minutely spinulose, apices obtuse to acute, spines erect (sometimes appearing as spreading in dry specimens), 0–0.5 mm;

apices of inner phyllaries straight or ± flexuous, flattened.

1–many in ± open corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

dark brown, 4.5–5.5 mm, apical collars yellow, 0.3 mm;

pappi 12–20 mm.

= 20, 21, 22, 23, 30.