Flora of North America species comparison

1–5+, ascending to erect (± arching, slender, brittle), ± densely pilose or villous to glabrate or glabrous (particularly proximally).

1–3+, erect (straight, brittle), hirtellous to glabrescent proximally to densely hirtellous distally.

thin, membranous, margins serrate to serrulate, scabridulous, apices acute to acuminate, sometimes caudate, mucronulate, abaxial faces glabrous, midveins usually ± densely pilose to glabrate, rarely glabrous, adaxial scabrous (short-strigose) to glabrate;

basal usually withering by flowering, sometimes persisting (new vernal rosettes often developing at flowering), petiolate to subpetiolate (petioles narrowly to ± broadly winged, ciliate, bases ± sheathing), blades oblanceolate, lance-ovate or ovate to spatulate or suborbiculate, 5–35 × 7–25 mm, abruptly attenuate, margins crenate-serrate, apices obtuse to rounded or acute;

proximal cauline mostly withering by flowering, sessile or subpetiolate (petioles broadly winged), blades usually ovate or elliptic to elliptic-oblanceolate or lanceolate, rarely linear-lanceolate, (30–)50–100(–150) × (2–)10–20(–35) mm, greatly reduced distally, bases attenuate to cuneate;

distal sessile, blades ovate, lance-ovate, lance-elliptic, or oblanceolate to lance-linear or linear, 10–150 × 1–30 mm, progressively reduced distally, branch leaves abruptly smaller, bases cuneate, margins sometimes entire.

thin, margins scabrous, abaxial faces hirtellous, densely so on midveins, adaxial usually scabrous, sometimes strigose or hirsute, rarely glabrate;

basal withering by flowering (sometimes new winter rosette developing), petiolate (petioles purplish, narrowly winged, bases dilated and sheathing, hirsute), blades oblong-ovate or ovate to widely ovate, (10–)35–60(–140) × (10–)15–70 mm, bases usually cordate or subcordate to rounded, sometimes attenuate, margins shallowly crenate-serrate to subentire, apices obtuse or rounded, mucronulate;

proximalmost cauline withering by flowering, proximal persistent, winged-petiolate, distally more widely winged or ± sessile, wings widening abruptly at strongly auriculate-clasping petiolar bases, blades ovate to lanceolate, 30–120(–140) × (10–)20–50 mm, reduced distally, bases cordate- or auriculate-clasping (sessile), margins crenate-serrate or entire, apices acute or acuminate, mucronate;

distal sessile, blades lance-ovate to oblong or lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, sometimes pandurate (branch leaves ovate to lanceolate, sharply smaller), 4–100 × 0.5–26 mm, reduced distally, bases ± clasping, sheathing, margins serrulate or entire, apices acute or acuminate to long-acuminate.

well developed, 0.3–3(–5) cm, branches to 10 cm, spreading, bracteate, densely hirtellous to strigillose, bracts 3–10+, firm, appressed, subulate (2–3 mm), grading into phyllaries.

cylindro-campanulate, (3.5–)4–6(–7) mm.

campanulate to cylindro-campanulate, 3.8–5.5 mm.

8–15(–23);

corollas white, rarely pinkish or purplish, laminae (3–)4–5(–8) × 0.9–1.2 mm.

12–16(–25);

corollas usually blue to purple, sometimes lilac, laminae 6–12 × 1.4–2.5 mm.

8–16(–20);

corollas cream to light yellow turning pink or reddish purple, (2.5–)3–5 mm, tubes shorter than funnelform-campanulate throats, lobes strongly reflexed, lanceolate, 0.9–1.7 mm.

15–22(–25);

corollas cream or light yellow becoming purple, 4–5.8 mm, tubes slightly shorter than funnelform throats, lobes lanceolate, 0.5–0.9 mm.

in 3–4(–6) series, appressed or slightly spreading, oblong-lanceolate or -oblanceoalte (outer) to linear (inner), unequal, bases indurate 1/3–2/3, margins scarious, erose, hyaline or sometimes reddish, ± ciliolate, green zones lanceolate to ± diamond-shaped, apices (outer) acute, callus-pointed, (mid) acute to acuminate, or obtuse, sometimes purplish, abaxial faces glabrous (outer), mid sparsely puberulent.

in 4–5(–6) series, appressed or outer spreading, oblong-lanceolate (outer) to linear-oblanceolate (inner) or linear (innermost), strongly unequal, bases indurate 1/2–2/3, margins scarious, erose, hyaline, ciliolate, green zones diamond-shaped to lanceolate, apices acute to acuminate or obtuse, often ± involute, often mucronulate, sometimes tips purplish, abaxial faces hirsutulous, adaxial sparsely so distally.

in ample, open, diffuse, ± pyramidal, paniculiform arrays, branches divaricate to long-arching or ± ascending, slender, wiry, secund; usually sessile, sometimes peduncles 0.1–1 cm+, ± pilose, bracts 1–7, linear or subulate to oblong-lanceolate, foliaceous, grading into phyllaries.

in open, narrow to wide paniculiform arrays, branches widely spreading, divaricate to ascending, sometimes secund, ± densely leafy.

gray or tan, oblong-obovoid, sometimes ± compressed, (1.3–)1.8–2.2 mm, 3–5-nerved, faces sparsely strigillose;

pappi white to pinkish, 3–4 mm.

dull purple to light brown or tan, oblong-obovoid, compressed, 1.7–2.2 mm, 3–4-nerved, faces strigillose;

pappi cream or rose-tinged, 3.5–5 mm.

= 16, 32, 48.

= 16, 32.