Flora of North America species comparison

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

branches few to many, ascending.

single, erect, often branched above middle, thinly arachnoid-tomentose, ± glabrate;

branches few, 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 elliptic or ovate, 5–20 × 1–10 cm, usually deeply pinnatifid, lobes narrowly to broadly triangular, sinuses broad, rounded (basal and distal cauline sometimes less divided, lobes linear-lanceolate), margins revolute, spreading, entire or spinulose to remotely few-toothed or sharply lobed, main spines slender, 1–5 mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose, adaxial green, villous with septate trichomes or glabrate;

basal usually absent at flowering, winged-petiolate, bases tapered;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced, bases narrowed, sometimes weakly clasping;

distal reduced, widely separated, distalmost bractlike.

0–10+ cm.

2–20+ cm, essentially naked with much reduced bracts.

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

ovoid to broadly cylindric or campanulate, 2.5–3.5 × 2–3 cm, thinly arachnoid.

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.

pink to purple (white), 32–38 mm, tubes 15–20 mm, throats 6–9 mm, lobes 8–11 mm;

style tips 5–6 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 10–12 series, strongly imbricate, greenish with subapical darker central zone, ovate (outer) to lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle entire, bodies appressed, spines abruptly spreading to deflexed, slender, 2–4 mm;

apices of inner phyllaries narrow, flexuous, flattened, entire or finely erose.

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

1–10+, borne 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, 5–6 mm, apical collars yellow, ca. 1 mm;

pappi 25–30 mm.

= 24.

= 18 (as C. terrae-nigrae), 20 + 1B.