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Rhizomatous perennial; stems mat-forming, c. 1.2 mm diam., < 15 cm long, soon rooting and covered by soil; erect branchlets < 4 cm long. Lvs 1.5-7 cm long; stipules entire, linear; leaflets 11-15, broad-obovate or orbicular-emarginate, 3-7 × 3-7 mm, with 7-12 obtuse teeth, dull grey-glaucous, purplish brown, or pale olive green on both surfaces, with veins and margins of lower surface hairy. Scape 1-5-(7) cm long, pilose; capitulum 4-6 mm diam. at flowering, < 2.5 cm diam. (including spines) at fruiting; florets c. 20; sepals 4; stamens 2; anthers white; styles 2, white; achenes 2. Fr. turbinate, c. 2 × 2 mm, sparsely hairy, with 4 shoulders rounded and not armed, or bearing 1-4 stout red spines < 1.3 cm long and lacking barbs or hairs at tip.
