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A coarse perennial herb up to 1.2 m high, branching above into a large spreading panicle, stems cobwebby at first, later glabrous, leafy. Leaves up to 35 x 15 cm, about one third of the length spiny petiole, blade broadly lanceolate or elliptic, pinnatilobate, lobes c. 4-6 each side, rounded or triangular in outline, each with 3-4 large, coarse, spine-tipped teeth and lesser, shorter spines along the margins, upper leaves, particularly on the inflorescence branches, much smaller and less deeply lobed, sessile, half-clasping, upper surface harshly puberulous or nearly smooth, lower white-felted. Heads 4-6 cm across the expanded rays, many in a very large spreading panicle. Involucral bracts linear-lanceolate, up to 3 mm broad, spine-tipped, margins spiny particularly in the lower half, white-felted on the back. Rays and disc yellow. Achenes c. 2 mm long, turbinate, glabrous. Pappus scales less than 1 mm long, obtuse.
Perennial herb, 0.3-2.0 m high; branching above into large spreading paniculate inflorescence, stems cobwebby at first, later glabrous, leafy. Leaves broadly lanceolate or elliptic or pinnatilobate, upper leaves, particularly on the inflorescence branches, sessile, half-clasping, upper surface harshly puberulous or nearly smooth. Capitula many in a very large spreading panicle; involucral bracts linear-lanceolate, spine-tipped. Ray florets yellow. Disc florets yellow. Flowering time Mar., Apr.? Pappus of obtuse scales. Cypselae turbinate, glabrous.
