In C. cuspidata var. cuspidata, each involucre is somewhat villous (= long soft-hairy) on the outside, and consists of a shallowly 6-ribbed tube below with an upper limb that flares out transversely into 6 straight to slightly-curving lobes (called 'teeth')...alternating short and long. Each of the teeth is medially red and with a pale pinkish-white scarious rim on the basal portion that is finely, appressed white-hairy on its upper-surface and apically long-tapered into a spine which ends in a diminutive sharp-pointed hook.

A single tiny flower emerges from the center of each of the 6-toothed involucres. As it first emerges its corolla can be seen to be villous abaxially. After it's fully-opened the corolla's tube remains within the involucral tube, while its delicate limb lies atop and covers most of the limb of the involucre...though the 6 spine-tipped teeth can be seen poking out. At least some of the corolla lobes are minutely cuspidate and erose near the tip. Nine stamens unfurl from within the bowl of the corolla...though it may often look like there are fewer, as often they soon loose their anthers.