Cirsium grahamii

A plant found primarily at moist sites in the broad valleys of southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona. Similar to Cirsium undulatum (as which I had previously misIDed this plant!), differing in flower color and in having both shorter spines and fringed margins on the phyllaries.

A pseudanthium with lepidopteran on the flats east of the Chiricahua Mts., 9/4/04.

Plant habit east of the Chiricahuas, 9/4/04.

Immature pseudanthium east of the Chiricahuas, 9/4/04.