Flora of North America species comparison

erect, villous with septate trichomes and sometimes thinly arachnoid tomentose;

branches 0–few, distal, ascending.

erect, stout, fleshy, leafy, simple or distally branched, villous or tomentose with long, septate trichomes;

branches usually short, stout, ascending.

blades oblong-elliptic, 5–30+ × 2–10 cm, ± undulate, shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes ovate to broadly triangular, usually separated by broad sinuses, spinose-dentate or lobed, main spines 1.5–7 mm, slender to stout, abaxial faces villous with septate trichomes, at least along veins, sometimes thinly arachnoid, adaxial faces villous with septate trichomes and thinly arachnoid tomentose or subglabrous;

basal often present at flowering, bases tapered;

principal cauline sessile, moderately reduced distally, bases often auriculate-clasping;

distal reduced, similar to proximal.

blades oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, 15–30+ × 3–7 cm, usually shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes ovate to broadly triangular, spreading, usually separated by broad U-shaped sinuses, spinose-dentate or coarsely lobed, main spines 2–5(–8) mm, slender, abaxial faces villous with septate trichomes, at least along veins, sometimes thinly arachnoid, adaxial villous with septate trichomes;

basal often present at flowering, spiny winged-petiolate;

principal cauline winged-petiolate or sessile, not much reduced distally;

distal reduced, similar to proximal, crowded around heads.

0–15+ cm (above distal leaves), leafy-bracted.

0–5(–10) cm, leafy-bracted.

broadly cylindric to ovoid, 3.5–5 cm, 2.5–3 cm diam. (appearing much wider and hemispheric to campanulate in pressed specimens), loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.

broadly ovoid to hemispheric, 3.5–5 × 3.5–5 cm (appearing much wider and ± campanulate in pressed specimens), loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.

pink to purple (white), 40–60 mm, tubes 20–35 mm, throats 11–15 mm, lobes 7–10 mm;

style tips 3–7 mm.

purple (white), 30–48 mm, tubes 17–30 mm, throats 6.5–11 mm, lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 5–7 mm.

in 8–10 series, imbricate, ovate or lanceolate (outer) to lance-linear (inner), abaxial faces with ± prominent glutinous ridge, outer and middle appressed, apices ascending to spreading, spines 1.5–6 mm;

apices of middle and inner narrowed and scabrid-denticulate, innermost spineless, tapered and entire or with expanded, erose-denticulate, flexuous tips.

in 4–6 series, strongly imbricate, ovate or broadly lanceolate (outer) to lance-linear (inner), abaxial faces with ± narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and mid appressed, spines erect to ascending, 2–3 mm;

apices of mid and inner narrowed and scabrid-denticulate, innermost spineless, with expanded, flexuous, erose-denticulate tips.

1–few, borne singly at tips of main stem and branches, often closely subtended by 1–several bracts.

1–5(–9), borne singly or crowded in corymbiform arrays at tips of main stems, often closely subtended and overtopped by 1–several distal leaves.

stramineous to brown, 3.5–5 mm, apical collars yellow or colored like body;

pappi 35–45 mm.

stramineous to light brown, 3.5–5.5 mm, apical collar yellow, narrow;

pappi 30–42 mm.

= 30.