Perennial herb, erect, 2–120 cm high; stems densely setose proximally, tomentose distally and often with scattered setae, few-branched.. Leaves spiny, pinnatifid to deeply pinnatisect, oblong or lanceolate in outline, 2–23 cm long, 1–11 cm wide, with 3–6 pairs of triangular lobes or obovate to linear lobulate lobes, spiny-tipped, green and thinly araneose but glabrescent and usually glandular-setose above, white-tomentose beneath and glandular-setose on the midrib.. Capitula 20–27 mm long, in terminal globose synflorescences 4–5 cm in diameter; phyllaries with a narrow lower part, becoming wider and shouldered abruptly and contracted into a short acumen, 10–19 mm long, acumen spinescent, sometimes prolonged into a much longer spine.. Corolla white, rarely very pale blue, tube 7–9 mm long, minutely glandular, lobes 6–9 mm long, stamens brownish.. Achenes ± 8 mm long, densely ascending-pilose; pappus of numerous ciliolate scales 0.5–1.2 mm long.
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