Cirsium eatonii var. eriocephalum

(A. Gray) D. J. Keil

Sida 21: 1645. 2005.

Common names: Mountain or alpine thistle
Endemic
Basionym: Cnicus eriocephalus A. Gray Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 10: 46. 1874,
Synonyms: Carduus hookerianus var. eriocephalus (A. Gray) A. Nelson Cirsium scopulorum (Greene) Cockerell ex Daniels
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 19. Treatment on page 152. Mentioned on page 128, 151.

Stems erect or ascending, 30–150 cm. Leaf faces thinly to densely arachnoid-tomentose, especially abaxially, and villous or tomentose with septate trichomes, especially along midveins, adaxially ± glabrate. Heads sessile or short-pedunculate in usually nodding, densely woolly-tomentose, spiciform or racemiform arrays. Involucres 2.5–3.5 cm, densely tomentose with septate trichomes (individual phyllaries obscured by tomentum). Phyllaries: outer with stiff lateral spines; apical spines slender. Corollas yellow (northern populations) or pink to pale purple (southern populations), 13–18 mm, tubes 6–9 mm, throats 3–5.5 mm, lobes 3–7 mm. Pappi 10–15 mm. 2n = 34 (as C. scopulorum).


Phenology: Flowering summer (Jul–Sep).
Habitat: Forest openings, alpine and subalpine meadows, windswept alpine ridges
Elevation: 2200–3800 m

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
David J. Keil +
(A. Gray) D. J. Keil +
Cnicus eriocephalus +
Mountain or alpine thistle +
Colo. +, N.Mex. +  and Utah. +
2200–3800 m +
Forest openings, alpine and subalpine meadows, windswept alpine ridges +
Flowering summer (Jul–Sep). +
Carduus hookerianus var. eriocephalus +  and Cirsium scopulorum +
Cirsium eatonii var. eriocephalum +
Cirsium eatonii +
variety +