Flora of North America species comparison

glabrous or slightly tomentose.

erect, usually simple.

basal wing-petioled, blades 15–60+ cm, margins coarsely lobed;

cauline leaves clasping, progressively smaller and less divided, bases spiny, coiled, auriculate.

basal and cauline; petiolate (basal and proximal cauline) or sessile (distal cauline);

blades adaxially variegated, margins dentate and often coarsely pinnately lobed, teeth and lobes spine-tipped, glabrous or puberulent.

discoid, borne singly, terminal and in distal axils. (Peduncles with reduced leaflike bracts.) Involucres ovoid to spheric, 15–60 mm diam.

flat, epaleate, covered with whitish bristles.

25–100+;

corollas pink to purple, tubes slender, distally bent, abruptly expanded into short throats, lobes linear;

stamen filaments connate, anther bases sharply short-tailed, anther appendages oblong;

style branches: fused portions with slightly swollen subterminal nodes, distally cylindric, distinct portions minute.

26–35 mm;

tubes 13–25 mm, throats campanulate, 2–3 mm, lobes 5–9 mm.

many in 4–6 series, unequal, outer and mid with appressed bases and spreading, lanceolate to ovate, spiny-fringed, terminal appendages, at least mid spine-tipped, innermost with erect, flat, entire, spineless apices.

brown and black spotted, 6–8 mm;

pappus scales 15–20 mm.

ovoid, slightly compressed, not ribbed, apices with smooth, entire rims, glabrous, basal attachment scars slightly angled;

pappi falling in rings, outer of many minutely barbed, basally connate, subulate scales, inner of minute smooth bristles.

appendages spreading, ovate, 1–4 cm including long-tapered spine tips.

= 17.

= 34.