Cousinia sect. Pseudactinia, Tscherneva, 1962

Mehregan, Iraj & Assadi, Mostafa, 2016, A synopsis of Cousinia sect. Pseudactinia (Cardueae, Asteraceae) including a new species from NE Iran, Phytotaxa 257 (3), pp. 271-279 : 278

Key to species of Cousinia sect. Pseudactinia

1. Leaves glabrous on both surfaces. Middle bracts lanceolate, more than 4 mm broad.................................................... C. amicorum

- Leaves hairy on lower or both surfaces. Middle bracts subulate, less than 3 mm broad...................................................................2

2. Capitula 3.5–5 cm in diameter, spherical-truncate ........................................................................................................ C. glochidiata

- Capitula up to 3 cm in diameter, ovate or cylindrical.........................................................................................................................3

3. Leaves herbaceous. Plant greyish. Leaves tomentose on both surfaces, with spines shorter than 2 mm on both sides. Involucral bracts ± herbaceous, with a short (up to 2 mm) spine at apex..................................................................................... C. edmondsonii

- Leaves leathery. Plant yellowish green. Leaves glabrescent on upper surface, with spines 3–10 mm long on both sides. Involucral bracts pungent, with a spine longer than 4 mm at apex......................................................................................................................4

4. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, up to 15 × 4 cm ...................................................................................................................... C. oreodoxa

- Leaves orbicular-elliptic, up to 5 × 4.5 cm ....................................................................................................................... C. joharchii