Flora of North America species comparison

usually 1, thinly to densely gray- or white-tomentose, sometimes ± glabrate;

branches few–many, usually from above mid or near base in compact, moundlike dwarf plants, ascending to spreading.

usually single, erect, tomentose to ± glabrate;

branches 0–many, usually restricted to distal part, ascending.

blades oblong–elliptic to oblanceolate, 6–40 × 1.5–10+ cm, shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes usually rigidly spreading, undivided or with 1–2 pairs of coarse teeth or lobes, main spines 5–15 mm, both faces gray- to white-tomentose, sometimes ± glabrate or adaxial faces green, thinly arachnoid-tomentose;

basal sometimes present at flowering, petiolate or sessile and bases tapered, spiny-winged;

principal cauline much reduced distally, sessile, bases decurrent or not, as spiny wings;

distal much reduced, linear, ± bractlike.

blades oblong to elliptic, 7–30 × 2–12 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose to irregularly dentate or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes ± triangular, separated by narrow to wide sinuses, sometimes coarsely dentate or lobed proximally, obtuse to acute, main spines slender to stout, 1–5 mm, abaxial faces arachnoid tomentose, adaxial glabrous or thinly arachnoid;

basal often absent at flowering, petioles slender, ± winged;

cauline progressively reduced, proximal petiolate, mid and distal broadly sessile, bases ± auriculate-clasping or decurrent 1–3 cm;

distalmost linear to lanceolate, bractlike, irregularly dentate or shallowly lobed.

1–30 cm.

slender, 3–30 cm (not overtopped by crowded distal leaves).

ovoid to spheric, 1.5–5 × 1.5–8 cm, arachnoid to ± loosely tomentose, often adjacent phyllaries connected by conspicuous arachnoid trichomes, sometimes glabrous or glabrate.

ovoid to hemispheric, 1.5–2 × 1.5–2 cm, thinly arachnoid, glabrate.

white to lavender, pink, rose-purple, or red, 18–40 mm, tubes 8–18 mm, throats 5–7 mm, lobes 5–10 mm;

style tips 4–5 mm.

white to pink-purple, 20–25 mm, tubes 7–10 mm, throats 6–8 mm (noticeably wider than tubes), lobes 4–7 mm;

style tips 3–4 mm.

in 7–10 series, subequal to strongly imbricate, green or stramineous to purple-tinged, linear to narrowly lanceolate, abaxial faces without glutinous ridge;

outer and mid bodies appressed, entire, apices deflexed to spreading or ascending, short-triangular to elongate, linear-acicular, spines spreading to reflexed, 1–10+ mm;

apices of inner erect, often flexuous, flat.

in 8–10 series, imbricate, green, lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, bodies entire, acute, spines spreading, slender, 1–5 mm;

apices of inner often flexuous, flat, scabrid-ciliolate, acuminate.

1–many in loose to tight clusters (barely raised above rosette in dwarf plants).

1–many, in openly paniculiform arrays.

± brown, 5–6 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 15–30 mm.

brown, 3–5 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 15–16 mm.

= 22, 23, 24.