Flora of North America species comparison

1 or few, erect, densely gray-tomentose;

branches 0 to several, ascending to spreading.

blades elliptic to obovate, 10–30 × 8–14 cm, deeply divided nearly to midveins, lobes ascending to spreading, linear, remote, margins revolute, entire or minutely spinulose, main spines 1–2 mm, faces gray-tomentose, more densely so abaxially;

basal present or withered at flowering, petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, bases decurrent as linear-lobed to spiny wings 1–3 cm;

distal cauline well developed.

0–5 cm.

ovoid to campanulate, 2–3 × 2–3 cm, loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.

dull white or pinkish-tinged (rarely rich purple), 20–30 mm, tubes 8.5–15 mm, throats 4.5–10 mm, lobes 3–8 mm;

style tips 3.5–5.5 mm.

in 6–8 series, imbricate, ovate-lanceolate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, acute, spines ascending to spreading, slender, 1–2(–3) mm;

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

1–20+ in corymbiform arrays.

light brown, sometimes with darker streaks, 6–7.5 mm, apical collars lighter colored, very narrow;

pappi 15–30 mm, usually noticeably shorter than corolla.

= 34.