Aciphylla squarrosa var. squarrosa

Detailed description

Usually, large plants up to 1 m tall, forming dense tussocks. Leaves numerous, 3-pinnate, spreading, subglaucous; margins and midribs crenulate-serrulate; occasionally plants may have some leaves 2-pinnate. Sheaths erect, whitish, fleshy except membranous margins, up to 150 × 50 mm; stipules with petiolate bases approximately 20 × 10 mm, unequal, 3-foliolate, outer segments up to 200 mm, inner to 60 mm, terminal to 250 mm long, pungent; petiolar or ligular portion sometimes up to about 40 mm long. Petioles up to about 150 mm × 1–2 mm, internodes up to 50 mm long. Primary pinnae usually 1 pair, again pinnate, internodes about 30 mm long; secondary pinnae usually 1 pair, again pinnate, sometimes bearing accessory pinnules; final segments up to 250 mm × 4 mm, concavo-convex, with long pungent points. Flowering stems of male plants ridged; up to approximately 80 cm × 20 mm including inflorescence up to approximately 40 cm long. Bracts numerous; sheaths pale, membranous, ridged, up to 40 × 10 mm, tapering to apex; stipules unequal, up to 30 × 1 mm. Lamina 3-foliolate; lateral pair of leaflets up to approximately 90 mm long; terminal leaflet to 200–250 × 3 mm, stiff, pungent, becoming strongly reflexed. Umbels on stout peduncles up to approximately 60–100 mm long, usually with lateral umbellules near base as well as at apex, up to about 40 mm diameter. Umbellules crowded, forming heads approximately 20 mm diameter; rays numerous, about 10 mm long. Flowering stems of female plants up to 100 cm tall including inflorescence up to approximately 60 cm tall. Bract-sheaths thin, ribbed; lower approximately 50 × 20 mm, stipules unequal, 40–80–(150) mm long. Lamina of lower sheaths pinnate, with occasionally accessory pinnules; petiole flat, about 10 mm long, internodes up to 20 mm long; pinnae 2 pairs; terminal leaflet up to 150 mm long, at length strongly reflexed. Umbels approximately 8, on stout peduncles approximately 50 mm long bearing lateral umbellules near base; involucral bracts linear. Umbellules up to 10, approximately 15 mm diameter, on short rays. Petals pale yellow. Fruit approximately 6–8 mm long; mericarps 3–4 winged.