Flora of North America species comparison

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

branches 0–few, distal, ascending.

usually single, erect, thinly appressed-tomentose, ± glabrate in age;

branches 0–few in distal 1/3, 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.

very numerous, firm-textured, blades 3–15 cm, thick, ± rigid, linear or linear-elliptic, 0.5–2 cm wide and spinulose, or narrowly ovate, 2–4 cm wide, deeply lobed, lobes remote, spreading, separated by broad sinuses, few toothed or lobed, margins often revolute, main spines slender, 3–5(–9) mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose, adaxial green, glabrous or thinly tomentose;

basal usually absent at flowering, winged-petiolate;

proximal cauline usually absent at flowering, well separated, winged-petiolate;

middle and distal numerous (30–70+), sessile, well distributed, gradually reduced distally, bases tapered, not decurrent;

distal linear, entire or few lobed, ca. 1 cm.

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

10–15 cm (not overtopped by distal leaves).

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.

ovoid to cylindric or narrowly campanulate, 1.7–2.4 × 1–2 cm, glabrous or outer phyllaries very thinly tomentose.

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, 21–26 mm, tubes 8.5–11 mm, throats 6–8 mm (noticeably wider than tubes), lobes 4–8 mm;

style tips 3.5–5 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 8–13 series, strongly imbricate, light green to brownish with dark apices, ovate (outer) to narrowly linear-elliptic (inner), abaxial faces with evident, narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, bodies entire, apices erect or spreading, muticous to short-spinose, spines ascending to spreading, weak, 1–2 mm;

apices of inner all straight and entire or innermost ± flexuous, erose.

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

1–10+ in open, corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

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

pappi 35–45 mm.

dark brown, 4–5 mm, apical collars yellowish, 0.5–1;

pappi 17–20 mm.

= 30.

= 28.