Flora of North America species comparison

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

branches 0–few in distal 1/3, ascending.

1–several, erect, thinly gray-tomentose with fine, non-septate trichomes;

branches 0–many, ascending.

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.

oblanceolate or elliptic, 15–45 × 2–10 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose to dentate or deeply pinnatifid, lobes well separated, linear to triangular-ovate, merely spinulose to few toothed or lobed near base, margins often revolute, main spines 2–3(–6) mm, abaxial faces densely gray-tomentose, adaxial green, thinly tomentose or ± glabrate;

basal often present at flowering, narrowly winged-petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced distally, bases of proximal cauline winged-petiolate or sessile, bases of distal cauline expanded and ± clasping, margins sometimes spinier than those of proximal;

distalmost cauline becoming bractlike, often unlobed or less deeply divided than proximal.

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

1–8 cm.

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

hemispheric to campanulate, 2.5–3.5 × 2–4 cm, glabrous or loosely floccose.

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.

creamy white, rarely lavender-tinged, 22–28 mm, tubes 8–13 mm, throats 7–11 mm, lobes 4–6 mm;

style tips 5–6 mm.

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.

in 6–10 series, strongly imbricate, greenish to brown, ovate to lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, bodies entire, spines abruptly spreading, fine, 2–3(–5) mm;

apices of inner commonly flexuous or reflexed, flat, scarious.

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

borne singly and terminal on main stems and branches or few from distal axils in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays.

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

pappi 17–20 mm.

brown, 5–6 mm, apical collars yellowish, 0.5–1 mm;

pappi 18–22 mm.

= 28.

= 22, 26.