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Abstract

Perennial, up to 40-60 cm high. Stem solitary, glabrous, densely leafy, in lower part of heads pubescent, greenish-browm, above the middle with a few branches. Ail leaves herbaceous-leathery, first glabrous or loosely glandulifer, yellowish-green above, later along the nerves with appressed white arachnoid hairs, nearly white marbled, white arachnoid-villose below, along the nerves becoming glabrous or loosely arachnoid; basal leaves soon deciduous, probably very similar to the lower cauline leaves; lower cauline leaves 20 x 10 cm, oblong-lanceolate in outline, with many spines at the base, bipinnatifid, rhachis narrowly winged, becoming yellow, with 5-6 pairs of larger narrowly lanceolate distant segments, with long yellowish spines, with a very long up to 20-35 min terminal spine, leaves of branches sessile, narrowly linear in outline, with +/- 2-3 pairs of triangular - lanceolate loose lacinia, with up to 15 mm long yellow terminal spine; upper leaves on the branches much more reduced, below the heads naked. Heads cornigerous, without horns up to 4-5 cm in diameter; receptacle obconical, with raised white scares; common involucre up to 10-16 mm long, consisting of membranaceous filiform bracts, non or fringed-pectinate below, with obtriangular spiny or ciliated tip and long or short terminal spines. Lower capitulum of a head up to 24 min long; brush whitish-grey, up to 18 mm long, inner ones broadened at base, fringed - pectinate; phyllaries 14-15, glabrous, pale; outer long narrow linear, finely membranaceous, towards the tip elliptic or broadly triangular, apiculate; median narrowly lanceolate-elliptic, with short or long terminal spine; 5 innermost caudate at base, connate to above the middle in thick leathery white striate and dark brown five angled tube, with unequal lanceolate free parts. Upper capitulum of a head cornigerous up to 35-45 mm long, with glabrous and 2 long horny bracts, with very short brush, up to 4-5 mm. Corolla white or pale yellow, up to 18 mm long, with 10 min long lacinia.

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