Erect plant with one to a few stems with narrow, spiny edged leaves and loose, lavender flower heads borne singly at branch tips.
Plants without rhizomes, pinkish-purple flowerheads, stems not winged, outer phyllaries not reflexed, dilated inner phyllaries and flowerheads solitary at the ends of stems and branches.
Habitat
Clearings in pine forests, juniper-dominated woodlands and meadows.
Flower Characteristics
The rose-purple or lavender flower heads are made up of tiny, tubular, disc flowers. The bracts are wide and oval-shaped. The flower head is loose to 1-1/2 inches wide and 2 inches long, occurring singly at branch tips.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
The leaves are dark green above and white-woolly beneath with widely spaced, spiny lobes. They are to 6 inches long at base and smaller on upper stem.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Achene has numerous papery bristles measuring about 1 inch.