| | 1. Ligules ± equally 3-lobed; disk achenes compressed front-to-back |
| |
| | 2. Fruit ± uniformly gray-strigose; phyllaries free to ± 1/2 fused |
| M. lanceolata |
| | 2' Fruit glabrous or hairs concentrated at top; phyllaries fused into cup with triangular lobes |
| M. major |
| | 1' Ligules entire to slightly toothed (or middle lobe < outer); disk achenes not compressed |
| |
| | 3. Fruit glabrous or sparsely hairy, ± 2 mm; branches ± spreading, generally near top of plant |
| M. gracilens |
| | 3' Fruit ± uniformly gray-strigose, 2.5–3 mm; branches ± erect |
| M. stricta
|