Flora of North America species comparison

1–few, erect or ascending, arachnoid-tomentose or ± glabrate;

branches 0–5+, usually in distal 1/2, ascending.

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

branches few–many, ascending.

blades linear to oblong, oblanceolate, or elliptic, 5–25 × 0.6–7 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose or spiny-dentate to regularly pinnatifid, lobes 5–8(–many) pairs, well separated, usually with broad, U-shaped sinuses to crowded, linear to triangular-ovate, ascending-spreading to retrorse, merely spinulose to coarsely dentate or few lobed, main spines 2–7 mm, ± slender, abaxial faces gray to white, usually densely arachnoid-tomentose, sometimes ± glabrate, sometimes villous with septate trichomes along veins, adaxial green, glabrous or less commonly thinly to densely gray-tomentose;

basal often present at flowering, spiny winged-petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced distally, proximal usually winged-petiolate, mid and distal sessile, bases decurrent as spiny wings 1.5–3.5 cm;

distalmost reduced, ± bractlike.

blades oblanceolate to elliptic or ovate, 10–25(–50) × 1–13 (–25) cm, usually deeply divided more than halfway to midveins, proximal sometimes undivided, lobes linear-lanceolate, margins revolute, ascending, entire or spinulose to remotely few toothed or sharply lobed, main spines 1–5 mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose, adaxial faces green, villous with septate trichomes or glabrate;

basal usually absent at flowering, winged-petiolate, bases tapered;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced, bases narrowed, sometimes weakly clasping, not decurrent;

distal cauline well developed.

0–15 cm.

0–5 cm (not overtopped by crowded distal cauline leaves).

ovoid to campanulate, 1.8–2.7 × 1–2 cm, thinly arachnoid-tomentose or glabrate.

ovoid to broadly cylindric or campanulate, 2–3.5(–4) × 1.5–3 cm, thinly arachnoid.

pink to purple (creamy white), 18–25 mm, tubes 7–9 mm, throats 5.5–7.5 mm, lobes 4–8 mm;

style tips 3–5.5 mm.

pink to purple (white), 25–32 mm, tubes 12–16 mm, throats 7–10 mm, (noticeably wider than tubes), lobes 6–9 mm;

style tips 4–6 mm.

in 6–7 series, ± imbricate, green or with dark subapical patch or appendage, linear to linear-lanceolate, margins entire, abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle bases appressed, apical appendages spreading to stiffly ascending, linear-lanceolate to acicular, entire, spines spreading or ascending, stout, 2–7 mm, often flattened;

apices of inner stiffly erect or sometimes flexuous, narrow, flat.

in 10–12 series, strongly imbricate, greenish with subapical darker central zone, ovate (outer) to lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge, outer and middle bodies appressed, margins entire, spines abruptly spreading to deflexed, slender, 3–9 mm;

spines slender, 3–9 mm;

apices of inner phyllaries spreading, narrow, flattened, finely serrulate.

1–few, borne singly or in 2–3-headed clusters in ± congested flat-topped or racemiform arrays at tips of main stem and branches, sometimes also in distal axils.

1–many in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

tan to dark brown, 5–6 mm, apical collars yellow, narrow;

pappi 14–16 mm.

tan to brownish, 4–5 mm, apical collars straw-colored, 0.5–75 mm;

pappi 18–25 mm.

= 34.

= 20, 21, 22.