Flora of North America species comparison

1–20+, erect, proximally sparsely to moderately strigoso-villous, distally usually moderately to densely so.

1–10+, usually blue to purple, glaucous, arching, straight, usually simple, occasionally with 2–3(–4) elongated lateral branches, glabrous or slightly strigose in arrays.

basal 0;

proximal cauline sessile, blades narrowly to broadly oblanceolate, 35–75(–100) × (6–)7.5–14(–20) mm, proximal much smaller, tapering to bases, margins subentire or finely serrulate to coarsely, sharply serrate (teeth 0–9 per side), ciliate, 3-nerved, sometimes obscurely so, apices acute, abaxial faces glabrate to sparsely short-strigose, adaxial glabrous;

mid to distal cauline sessile, blades oblanceolate, becoming lanceolate distally, 20–60 × 4–8(–11) mm, largest near mid stem, somewhat to much reduced distally, margins entire or finely serrulate, rarely serrate (teeth 1–8 per side), usually becoming entire to sparsely serrulate distally, ciliate, apices acute, faces glabrous or sparsely strigoso-villous, more so along abaxial nerves.

basal withering by flowering;

proximal to mid cauline sessile, blades lanceolate, (47–)70–100(–150) × 8–20(–30) mm, margins serrate (with 0–24 teeth per side), apices acuminate, faces abaxially glabrous or sparsely hairy, adaxially sparsely hairy;

distal sessile, blades narrowly lanceolate, (20–)40–70(–100) × (3.4–)5.6–11(–17) mm, margins entire to slightly serrate, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy.

2–7 mm, sparsely to moderately short strigoso-villous;

bracteoles 1–3, linear, rarely minutely stipitate-glandular.

2–10 mm, sparsely to moderately strigose;

bracteoles linear, 1–8.

narrowly campanulate, 2.5–3.5(–4) mm.

narrowly campanulate, (3.5–)4.8–6(–7.2) mm.

(8–)11–15(–17);

laminae 1–2.5 × 0.1–0.4(–0.7) mm.

1–6;

laminae (1.5–)2–3(–4) × ca. 1 mm.

(3–)5–11(–16);

corollas 2.6–3.7(–4) mm, lobes 0.5–1.2 mm.

3–6(–9);

corollas 2–3(–4) mm, lobes (0.5–)1–1.5(–2) mm.

in 3–4 series, strongly unequal, margins sparsely long ciliate, acute, faces glabrous, rarely sparsely minutely stipitate-glandular;

outer lanceolate, inner linear-lanceolate.

in ca. 3 series, unequal, outermost lanceolate (1–1.7 mm), acute, innermost linear-oblong (2.3–4 mm), 1-nerved, obtuse to acute.

12–500+, sometimes secund, in short to long, thyrsiform or narrowly secund-pyramidal paniculiform arrays, usually congested, club-shaped to rarely wand-shaped, (2.5–) 10–20 × (2–)4–8(–10) cm, branches usually ascending or sometimes arching spreading.

9–380, in short, secund, axillary and terminal racemo-paniculiform clusters (4.4–)13–36(–58) cm.

(narrowly obconic) 1–1.5 mm, sparsely to moderately strigose;

pappi 2.5–3.3 mm.

1–2(–2.5) mm, moderately to densely strigose;

pappi 2–3(–3.7) mm.

= 18, 36.