Flora of North America species comparison

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

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

1–20+, erect or ascending, densely gray-tomentose with non-septate trichomes;

branches 0 or few, usually in distal 1/2, 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 oblong to narrowly elliptic, 10–30 × 2–8 cm, strongly undulate, margins coarsely dentate or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid with 8–15 pairs of lobes 0.5–2 cm, often revolute, lobes ± triangular, closely spaced, spreading, spinose-dentate and cleft into 2–5 spine-tipped divisions, main spines 5–20 mm, yellowish, abaxial faces densely white-tomentose, adaxial thinly gray-tomentose;

basal usually present at flowering, winged-petiolate;

principal cauline sessile, progressively reduced distally, bases ± auriculate to long-decurrent as spiny wings;

distal cauline usually much reduced, less lobed.

0–15 cm.

0–4 cm.

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

ovoid to hemispheric or broadly campanulate, 2.5–4.5 × 2.5–4.5 cm in first-formed heads, often smaller in later ones, loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.

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.

white or pale lavender to purple, pink, or red, 25–45 mm, tubes 8–25 mm, throats 6–17 mm, lobes 6–15 mm;

style tips 2–8 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 5–10 series, imbricate, ovate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), margins entire, abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, spines spreading, 3–12 mm;

apices of inner often flexuous, expanded and flat, scabrid-margined, sometimes erose, spineless.

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–few, in leafy, ± corymbiform arrays.

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

pappi 14–16 mm.

light brown, sometimes with lighter or darker streaks, 6–9 mm, apical collars colored like the body, narrow;

pappi (white or tawny), 20–40 mm, usually noticeably shorter than corolla.

= 34.

= 30, 31, 32, 34.