stem erect, slender, subwoody, pubescent or tomentose; leaves spathulate, acute or shortly acuminate, 1–2 in. long, 3/8–1 1/4 in. broad, running down into a short petiole, hairy on both sides; nerves slightly prominent beneath; inflorescence capituliform, terminal or lateral, subspherical; partial inflorescences of 1 solitary fertile and 4 sterile flowers; bracts hyaline, ovate, concave, acute, aristate; bracteoles hooked; perianth 2 1/2 lin. long; sepals subequal, oblong-ovate, the 2 outer slightly broader than the 3 inner, 3-nerved, all acute or minutely apiculate, softly woolly; sterile flowers converted into hooked spines with woolly bases; filaments of anthers subulate; anthers oblong; staminodes subquadrate, shorter than the filaments; ovary 3/4 lin. long, obovoid; style reaching 1 1/4 lin. long, very slender; stigma minute; ripe utricle 1 1/2–1 3/4 lin. long, ellipsoid, compressed, areolate at the apex, glabrous; seed 1 1/4 lin. long, ellipsoid, rounded at both ends, light brown. null
