Flora of North America species comparison

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

branches few to many, ascending.

1–many, erect, glabrous to appressed gray-tomentose;

branches 0–many, ascending.

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.

blades oblong to elliptic, 3–30 × 1–6 cm, margins plane to revolute, entire and spinulose, dentate, or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes well separated, lance-oblong to triangular-ovate, spinulose to few-toothed or few-lobed near base, main spines 1–7 mm, abaxial faces glabrous to densely gray-tomentose, adaxial green, glabrous to thinly tomentose;

basal absent at flowering, petioles narrowly winged, bases tapered;

principal larger cauline proximally winged-petiolate, distally sessile, well distributed, gradually reduced, not decurrent;

distal cauline becoming bractlike, entire, toothed, or lobed, spinulose or not.

0–10+ cm.

0.2–7 cm.

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

ovoid in flower, ± campanulate in fruit, 1–2 × 1–2 cm, arachnoid tomentose, ± glabrate.

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.

purple (white or pink); staminate 12–18 mm, (remaining longer than pappus when head is fully mature), tubes 8–11 mm, throats 1–1.5 mm, lobes 3–5 mm; pistillate 14–20 mm, (overtopped by pappi in fruit), tubes 10–15 mm, throats ca. 1 mm, lobes 2–3 mm;

style tips 1–2 mm.

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.

in 6–8 series, strongly imbricate, (usually purple-tinged), ovate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge, outer and middle appressed, entire, apices ascending to spreading, spines 0–1 mm (fine);

apices of inner phyllaries flat, ± flexuous, margins entire to minutely erose or ciliolate.

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

1–many, borne singly or in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays at tips of main stem and branches.

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.

brown, 2–4 mm, apical collar not differentiated;

pappi 13–32 mm, exceeding corollas.

= 24.

= 34.