Flora of North America species comparison

2–6, trigonous, (10–)35–80 cm × 0.5–2(–4) mm, scabridulous with retrorse prickles (infrequently glabrous or rarely also with extrorse prickles).

trigonous, 30–50(–80) cm × 1.8–2.5 mm, glabrous.

3–9, V-shaped, (12–)25–45(–65) cm × 2–10 mm;

blades and bracts without cross ribs.

4–7(–10), V-shaped, (20–)40–60 cm × 4.5–8 mm.

heads umbellate, 10–20(–30) mm diam.;

rays 4–12, 1–6 cm, minutely scabridulous with retrorse prickles; 2d order rays often present, 1–2(–3) cm; 3d order rays rarely present, 0.5–1.5 cm;

bracts 3–8, approximately horizontal to ascending at 30°, V-shaped to flat, 2–15(–34) cm × 1–4(–5) mm.

heads dense, hemispheric, 7–15(–18) mm diam;

or if rays absent, heads dense, irregularly lobate, 2–3.5 cm diam.;

rays 3–6, 1–30 mm; 2d order rays infrequently present, to 5 mm;

bracts (5–)10–15(–40), horizontal to ascending at 30(–45)°, V-shaped, 6–30(–40) cm × 5–8(–10) mm.

(6–)15–40(–65), greenish white, linear to linear-oblong, (3–)4–12(–15) × 1.5–2.5 mm;

floral scales 10–50(–65), laterally pale yellow, light brown, or reddish brown, 2-keeled, medially 3-ribbed, lanceolate, 1–1.5 × 0.8–0.9 mm, distinctly reticulate, often scabridulous near apex.

40–100, greenish white, flattened, ovoid, 3.5–5 × 3–4 mm;

floral scales (8–)12–16, uniformly light greenish to light brown, laterally 1-ribbed, medially indistinctly 3-ribbed, basally 2-keeled, oblong-spatulate, widest at or above median, 2–2.5 × (0.7–)1–1.2 mm, apex minutely mucronate, scabridulous, infrequently glabrous.

stamen 1;

anthers 0.5 mm;

styles 0.8–1.1 mm;

stigmas 0.5 mm.

stamen 1;

anthers oblong, 0.7–1 mm, connective apex subulate, prolonged 0.1–0.2 mm;

styles thick, confluent with apex of, and persistent on, achene, 0.5–0.8 mm;

stigmas 0.6–1 mm.

brown to reddish brown, slightly stipitate, narrowly ellipsoid, 0.7–0.9 × 0.2–0.4 mm, apex apiculate, surfaces papillate or obscurely reticulate to rugulose.

brown, stipitate, linear, slightly curved, 1.2–1.4 × 0.2(–0.3) mm, base whitish, stipe spongy, 0.1–0.2 × 0.2 mm, apex acute, surfaces papillose.