Atractylis phazaniae Corti , it is a perennial, caulescent, tufted, strongly branched, very leafy throughout, with woody base; tufts 15-20 (-40) cm tall and 20-24 cm in diam, young shoots deep violaceous turning yellow at maturity, hairy pubescent. Leaves oblong-lanceolate 10 lanceolate, 20-30 x15-20 mm, sub-green, hairy, dentate, spinose. with 2-3 pairs of lateral spines (spines 2-3 mm, often doubled, yellow), apex acuminate into a 2-3 (-4) mm long, yellow spine. Capitula discoid, terminal at the ends of branches. Involucre ovate-oblong, (8-) 10-15 mm long, 8-12 mm in diam. (include. supplementary bracts). Supplementary involucral bracts sub 1-floweed, 7-8, 15-22 x 6-8 mm, similar to the upper cauline laves. Involucral bracts of the 1st row 6-7 x 1-1.75 mm, ovate, whitish silky hairy, on the dorsal face, margins scarious, entire or with 1-2 lateral pairs of simple spinules, apex gradually tapered into 3.5-4 mm long, yellowish mucro. Involucral bracts of the 2nd row 9-10 x 3-4 mm, broadly obovate, silky hairy at the dorsal surface on the median portion below the mucro, margins broadly scarious, with characteristic triangular violaceous spots towards the apex, more or less tapered above into 3.5-4 mm, yellowish brown mucro. Subsequent involucral bracts 12-15 x 3-4 mm. obovate to obovate-linear, hairy below the mucro, with characteristic triangular violaceous spots towards the apex; broadly scarious; apex gradually tapered into 3-4 mm long, yellowish-brown mucro. Innermost involucral bracts 15 x 1.5 mm, linear, long acuminate; margin ciliolate. Corolla 8-9 mm long, yellow to violet. Cypsela terete, copiously hairy; hairs whitish grey; pappus setae 1-rowed, up to 9 mm long, connate at the base in a yellow ring, strongly plumose; lateral branches whitish yellow.
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