What to look for in the field:

The capitulescence consists of numerous straight, ascending and puberulent branches.  Heads are crowded on branches, NOT in one-sided arrays.  Plants with only short branches (branchlets) have narrow capitulescences that are confined to the top of the stem.  More robust plants with longer branches will have broader capitulescences that are located in the upper fourth to third of the stem.

Stems are puberulent.

Leaves are basally-disposed.  Basal leaves are often present at flowering.  They are obovate, with variously blunt or sharp-pointed tips, shallowly toothed, and taper to long, winged petioles.  Mid- to upper stem leaves become rapidly and progressively smaller upwards, and petioles eventually become shorter or lacking.  Stem leaves are oblanceolate with somewhat short-pointed tips.  Tufts of small leaflets are often present in nodes along the stem.

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11/16/2009