Flora of North America species comparison

erect to decumbent or procumbent, loosely arachnose-tomentose.

erect to decumbent-ascending, densely and loosely arachnose-tomentose.

basal and cauline, proximal usually present at flowering, blades spatulate to oblanceolate-obovate, 2–7 cm × 4–16 mm (becoming spatulate to oblanceolate bracts among proximal heads, surpassing glomerules, bases narrowed to petiolar regions, margins sinuate, apices often apiculate), faces concolor or weakly bicolor, loosely tomentose.

mostly cauline, basal usually withering before flowering, blades mostly oblanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate (± uniform in size and shape), 1–2.5(–3) cm × 2–6 mm, faces concolor or weakly bicolor, both loosely tomentose or adaxial glabrescent and greener.

cupulate-campanulate, 3–3.5 mm, bases sparsely arachnose.

campanulate, 2.5–3 mm, bases sparsely arachnose.

bisexual 3–4; all (or at least bisexual) corollas usually purplish distally.

bisexual (2–)3(–4); all corollas purplish distally.

in 3–4 series, outer ovate-triangular, lengths 1/2–2/3 inner, apices attenuate-apiculate, inner oblong, laminae often purple-tinged (at stereome), apices (transparent, sometimes golden) acute to obtuse.

in 3–4(–5) series, outer ovate-triangular, lengths 1/2–2/3 inner, apices broadly acute, inner oblong, laminae usually purple (immediately beyond stereome and along proximal margins), apices (whitish) rounded-obtuse.

in glomerules in continuous or interrupted, spiciform arrays 1–12 cm × 10–15 mm (pressed).

in capitate clusters (in smallest plants) ca. 1 cm or interrupted, spiciform arrays 1–3(–12) cm × 8–12 mm (pressed, sometimes branching at proximal nodes, glomerules subtended by divergent-ascending bracts similar to distal cauline leaves).

(tan) 0.4–0.5 mm.

(tan) 0.3–0.5 mm.

= 28.