Flora of North America species comparison

usually single, erect, tomentose to ± glabrate;

branches 0–many, usually restricted to distal part, ascending.

1–several, erect or ascending, thinly gray-tomentose or ± glabrate;

branches few to many, ascending.

blades oblong to elliptic, 7–30 × 2–12 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose to irregularly dentate or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes ± triangular, separated by narrow to wide sinuses, sometimes coarsely dentate or lobed proximally, obtuse to acute, main spines slender to stout, 1–5 mm, abaxial faces arachnoid tomentose, adaxial glabrous or thinly arachnoid;

basal often absent at flowering, petioles slender, ± winged;

cauline progressively reduced, proximal petiolate, mid and distal broadly sessile, bases ± auriculate-clasping or decurrent 1–3 cm;

distalmost linear to lanceolate, bractlike, irregularly dentate or shallowly lobed.

blades elliptic to oblong, 8–40 × 1–12 cm, margins weakly to strongly undulate, spinose-dentate or shallowly to deeply lobed, lobes ascending to spreading, ± triangular, mostly well separated, spinulose and coarsely dentate or cleft into 2–3 lanceolate to triangular, often entire-margined, spine-tipped divisions, main spines 2.5–7+ mm, abaxial faces densely gray-tomentose, adaxial thinly tomentose;

basal sometimes present at flowering, winged-petiolate;

principal cauline becoming sessile and progressively reduced distally, widest at bases, bases ± auriculate-clasping to short-decurrent;

distal cauline reduced, often spinier.

slender, 3–30 cm (not overtopped by crowded distal leaves).

0–10+ cm.

ovoid to hemispheric, 1.5–2 × 1.5–2 cm, thinly arachnoid, glabrate.

ovoid to hemispheric or broadly campanulate, 2–3 × 1.7–3.5 cm, loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.

white to pink-purple, 20–25 mm, tubes 7–10 mm, throats 6–8 mm (noticeably wider than tubes), lobes 4–7 mm;

style tips 3–4 mm.

white to lavender or pink-purple, 23–30 mm, tubes 9–14 mm, throats 5.5–10.5 mm, lobes 5.5–9.5 mm;

style tips 4–7 mm.

in 8–10 series, imbricate, green, lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, bodies entire, acute, spines spreading, slender, 1–5 mm;

apices of inner often flexuous, flat, scabrid-ciliolate, acuminate.

in 6–10 series, imbricate, ovate to lanceolate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), margins entire, abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, spines spreading, slender to stout, 2–6 mm;

apices of inner often flexuous, narrow, flat, ± entire, spineless or tipped with weak spines.

1–many, in openly paniculiform arrays.

1–many, terminal on branches and often in leaf axils, in leafy, ± corymbiform arrays.

brown, 3–5 mm, apical collars not differentiated;

pappi 15–16 mm.

light to dark brown, 6–7 mm, apical collars colored like body or rarely yellowish, narrow;

pappi 20–23 mm, usually noticeably shorter than corolla.

= 22, 23, 24.

= 24.