Flora of North America species comparison

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

branches 0–few, distal, ascending.

1–many, erect or ascending, branches few–many, ascending, villous with septate trichomes.

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-lanceolate to obovate, 15–40 × 6–15 cm, margins plane or revolute, coarsely 1–2-pinnatifid with rigidly divergent lobes, sometimes merely spinose-dentate, lobes triangular to lanceolate, entire to spiny-dentate, main spines 2–10 mm, abaxial faces gray-tomentose, villous with septate trichomes along veins, adaxial green, covered with short appressed bristlelike spines, sometimes tomentose when young;

basal present or absent at flowering, petioles winged, bases tapered;

principal cauline winged-petiolate, mid and distal becoming sessile, well distributed or not, progressively reduced distally, at least distal decurrent as long spiny wings;

distal cauline often more deeply lobed than proximal, main lobes rigidly spiny, margins spinulose, otherwise entire.

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

1–6 cm.

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.

hemispheric to campanulate, 3–4 × 2–4 cm, loosely arachnoid-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 (rarely white), 25–35 mm, tubes 18–25 mm, throats 5–6 mm, lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 3.5–6 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 10–12 series, strongly imbricate, linear-lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), outer and middle appressed, (bases stramineous), margins entire, abaxial faces without glutinous ridge, apices radiating, greenish, spines 2–5 mm;

apices of inner phyllaries flat, serrulate to minutely erose.

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

few–many in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

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

pappi 35–45 mm.

light brown with darker streaks, 3–4.5 mm, apical collar not differentiated;

pappi 20–30 mm.

= 30.

= 68.