crown woody, multifid; subradical leaves above glabrous or minutely scaberulous, beneath, save the nerve, albo-tomentose, leathery, some linear-lanceolate, acute, tapering at base, quite entire, some pinnatisect above the middle, the lobes linear, acute, 2–4 pair, the margins of all reflexed and spinoso-ciliate; pedunc. glabrous, about equalling the leaves; inv. cylindr., subtruncate at base, glabrous, the scales pluriseriate, the outer herbaceous, linear-filiform, the medial deltoid with subulate points, the inner semilanceolate, acute, membr. edged. Glaucous (when dry); leaves 4 in. long, 2–3 l. wide, the lobes 1 l. wide. Outer inv. sc. in Ecklon's specimen dispersed over the tube, in the dry state easily escape notice, and are not described by DC. In Burke & Zeyher's plant they are much fewer, and sometimes wanting.