Flora of North America species comparison

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

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

1 or few, erect, densely gray-tomentose;

branches 0 to several, ascending to spreading.

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.

blades elliptic to obovate, 10–30 × 8–14 cm, deeply divided nearly to midveins, lobes ascending to spreading, linear, remote, margins revolute, entire or minutely spinulose, main spines 1–2 mm, faces gray-tomentose, more densely so abaxially;

basal present or withered at flowering, petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, bases decurrent as linear-lobed to spiny wings 1–3 cm;

distal cauline well developed.

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

0–5 cm.

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

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

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.

dull white or pinkish-tinged (rarely rich purple), 20–30 mm, tubes 8.5–15 mm, throats 4.5–10 mm, lobes 3–8 mm;

style tips 3.5–5.5 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 6–8 series, imbricate, ovate-lanceolate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle appressed, acute, spines ascending to spreading, slender, 1–2(–3) mm;

apices of inner often flexuous, flattened, spineless, scabrid.

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

1–20+ in corymbiform arrays.

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

pappi 17–20 mm.

light brown, sometimes with darker streaks, 6–7.5 mm, apical collars lighter colored, very narrow;

pappi 15–30 mm, usually noticeably shorter than corolla.

= 28.

= 34.