Cirsium drummondii
 
Short-Stemmed Thistle

Basal Leaf Bottom

Duck Mountain Provincial Park
01-July-07

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Drummondii: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species.  
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plants without creeping rootstocks; NOT [plants from deep creeping rootstocks]

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upper surface of leaves NOT scabrous; NOT [upper surface of leaves scabrous with appressed spines]

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male and female florets on the same plant or flower head; NOT [male and female flowers on separate plants]

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heads 5-7 cm high; NOT [heads smaller, less than 5 cm high]

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involucres more than 2 cm high; NOT [involucres 1-2 cm high]

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involucres usually more than 12 mm wide; NOT [involucres rarely over 12 mm wide]

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inner bracts of involucre with loose, twisted, and spineless tips; NOT [inner bracts of involucre without loose, twisted, and spineless tips]

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pappus of mature fruit shorter than corolla; NOT [pappus of mature fruit longer than corolla]

 

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Cirsium: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this genus. 
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juice watery; NOT [juice milky]

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leaves with spiny margins

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bracts of involucre NOT dry or parchmenty, usually green

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some bracts spiny tipped; NOT [involucral bracts with hooked bristles]

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receptacle densely bristly; NOT [receptacle naked]

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flower heads with all florets tubular; NOT [flower heads with florets both tubular and ligulate]; NOT [flower heads with all florets ligulate]

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stamens united to form a tube around the pistil

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pappus of capillary bristles; NOT [pappus of scales, or of awns, or a crown or none]

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pappus hairs much longer than achene

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pappus bristles plumose; NOT [pappus bristles naked or merely minutely barbellate or merely roughened]