Herbs 15-20 cm tall, rhizomatous. Rootstock stout, branched. Stems densely felted. Basal leaves absent at anthesis. Cauline leaves numerous, sessile, 10-20 × 0.5-1 cm, leathery, abaxially grayish white and densely felted, adaxially glabrous and shiny, marginal and apical spines 5-6 mm. Involucre 3-5 cm, cobwebby. Outer phyllaries triangular, 7-8 × 1.6-2 mm, apex tipped with a reflexed 2-3 mm spine; middle phyllaries oblanceolate, 1.5-2.5 cm × 3-4 mm, apically abruptly constricted and tipped with a reflexed to patent 5-6 mm spine; inner phyllaries red, lanceolate, oblanceolate, or linear, 3-3.2 × ca. 0.4 cm, scarious, apex long acuminate. Corolla purple to red, ca. 2.8 cm, tube ca. 1.2 cm. Achene dark brown, ca. 6.5 mm. Pappus bristles whitish. Fl. and fr. Jun-Sep.
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