Herbs 25-120 cm tall, biennial. Stem solitary, 3-6 mm in diam., erect, apically branched. Basal, lower, and middle stem leaves petiolate; leaf blade oblong to elliptic, 10-25 × 4-14 cm, pinnately lobed to pinnatisect, both surfaces green, scabrous, strigose, and gland-dotted, sometimes abaxially grayish white tomentose; segments 4-8 pairs, narrowly ovate-elliptic to linear, margin entire or dentate, apex acuminate. Upper stem leaves sessile, narrowly ovate-elliptic to linear, 4-12 × 0.1-2 cm, pinnately lobed to pinnatisect or undivided. Capitula numerous, in a corymbiform or paniculiform synflorescence, pedunculate. Involucre globose, 0.8-1.5 cm in diam. Phyllaries in 6 or 7 rows, subglabrous and gland-dotted, all with an apical appendage; appendage purple, orbicular, 2-3 mm wide, membranous; outer phyllaries narrowly triangular-ovate to linear, 2-3 × 0.5-1.5 mm; middle and inner phyllaries narrowly ovate-elliptic to linear, 4-11(-15) × 1-3 mm. Receptacle bristles 4-6 mm. Corolla pale purple, 1.1-1.3 cm, gland-dotted, tube 5-8 mm, limb 4-6.5 mm, lobes 4-5 mm. Achene ivory-colored with dark spots, obconic, 3-5 mm, obtusely 5-angled. Pappus dirty white; outer bristles 0.5-2.5 mm; inner bristles 7-8(-13) mm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 26, 28.
Home