Biennials or perennials, 30–250 cm; taprooted. Stems 1–several, erect, proximally simple, distally branched, ± densely gray-tomentose; branches 0–many, ascending to spreading. Leaves: blades oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, 10–60 × 2–15 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose or spiny-dentate or shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes linear-lanceolate to ovate-triangular, spreading, entire to coarsely dentate, main spines slender to stout, 3–30 mm, faces ± gray-tomentose, sometimes ± glabrate; basal often present at flowering, winged-petiolate; principal cauline decreasing distally, proximal winged-petiolate, distal sessile, bases decurrent as spiny wings 1–5 cm; distalmost well separated, bractlike. Heads 1–many, in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 0–15 cm. Involucres ovoid to hemispheric, 1.5–2.5 × 1.5–2 cm, loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate. Phyllaries in 5–8 series, imbricate, (inner greenish to brown or stramineous. , lanceolate or ovate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), entire, abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge; outer and middle appressed, spines spreading, 3–7 mm; apices of inner often flexuous, flattened, spineless, scabrid. Corollas white to pink or lavender, 16–25 mm, tubes 7–12 mm, throats 4–7 mm, lobes 4–8 mm, style tips 3–4 mm. Cypselae stramineous to dark brown, 3–6 mm, apical collars 0.2–0.3 mm, yellowish; pappi 14–16 mm. 2n = 30, 32.
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