Perennials (but often appearing biennial), (15–)40–70(–100) cm; rootstocks producing erect, taprooted caudices and rosettes. Stems usually 1, erect, sub-glabrous to puberulent and/or tomentose; branches 0–several, stiffly ascending. Leaves: blades ± elliptic, 8–35 × 4–8 cm, divided about halfway to midveins, lobes spreading, triangular, coarsely dentate or with a few broad lobes, obtuse to acute, main spines 1–5 mm, abaxial faces green or gray, thinly tomentose, adaxial green and glabrous to sparingly pilose; basal often present at flowering, spiny winged-petiolate; main cauline reduced distally, bases clasping; distal much reduced, linear-oblong, usually less deeply lobed and often spinier than proximal. Heads 1–6, borne singly or in corymbiform, racemiform, or spiciform arrays. Peduncles 0–20 cm. Involucres broadly cylindric to narrowly campanulate, 3–5 × 2–4 cm, loosely arachnoid or ± glabrous, finely short-ciliate. Phyllaries in 6–8 series, imbricate, outer green, inner purple to red, linear-lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces without glutinous ridge; outer and mid bodies short, appressed, entire or spinulose-ciliate, apices long-spreading to ascending, entire or spinulose-ciliate or rarely with expanded, fringed appendages, spines straight, weak, 1–3 mm; apices of inner red to purple, straight or rarely twisted, long, flat, entire. Corollas red to reddish purple, 30–45 mm, tubes 10–20 mm, throats 10–16 mm, lobes 9–11 mm; style tips 3.5–5 mm. Cypselae brown, 6–7 mm, apical collars narrow; pappi 25–40 mm. 2n = 32, 64.
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