FNA: Dalea aurea vs. Dalea searlsiae

	Dalea aurea	Dalea searlsiae
	golden dalea, golden prairie clover	Searls' prairie clover
Stems	(2–)3–7.5 dm, nearly eglandular.	(2.5–)3–5.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.
Inflorescences	spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)14–21 mm diam.; axis not visible, (1–)1.5–6 cm; bracts persistent to anthesis, 2.5–5.5 mm.	spikes, relatively densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, (8–)9–11 mm diam.; axis partially visible at anthesis, (1.5–)2–9(–14) cm; bracts deciduous, 3–5(–6) mm.
Peduncles	absent or very short, sometimes appearing relatively long due to small size of distalmost leaves.	(2.5–)4–16(–20) cm.
Stamens	10, 10–12.5 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–3 mm, anthers 0.6–0.9 mm.	5, 5.5–8.5 mm, filaments distinct to 3–5.1 mm, anthers 1.1–1.5 mm.
Corollas	clear yellow; papilionaceous; banner 6.3–8.6 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 3–4.2 × 3.2–4.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached near middle of stamen tube; wings 4.7–5.6 × 2–2.4 mm; keel connate valvately, blades (4.7–)5–7 × 2.6–3.2 mm.	usually rose-purple, rarely white; not conventionally papilionaceous; banner 5.3–7.2 mm, blade ovate to ovate-triangular or -oblong, 2.8–3.7 × 2.2–3.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades (2.7–)3–4.1 × (0.9–)1.1–1.6 mm.
Calyces	subsymmetric, 6.1–7.4 mm, silky-pilose; tube 2.2–2.8 mm, with 3 or 4 small glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-aristate, becoming plumose.	asymmetric, deeply recessed opposite banner, opening oblique, (3.2–)3.5–4.6(–4.8) mm, glabrous or pilosulous proximally, pilosulous distally; tube 2–2.8 mm, with (0 or)2–4 small, pale blister glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-subulate or adaxial pair triangular-ovate.
Legumes	3–3.5 mm, distally with 2 rows of ascending hairs on either side of a glabrescent row, eglandular.	3.2–4 mm, pilosulous to ± glabrous distally and gland-dotted.
Seeds	2–2.4 mm.	2–2.8 mm.
Perennial	herbs, erect, pilose to pilosulous.	herbs, erect, pilosulous throughout or glabrous proximal to inflorescence.
Principal	leaves 1–3.5(–4) cm; leaflets (3 or)5(or 7), blades obovate to oblong-oblanceolate, (3–)4–16(–20) mm.	leaves 2–5.5 cm; leaflets 5 or 7(or 9), blades flat or folded, oblanceolate to obovate, 7–20 mm, surfaces glandular-tuberculate abaxially.
2n	= 14, 24.

	Dalea aurea	Dalea searlsiae
Phenology	Flowering summer–early fall.	Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat	Open prairies, dry slopes, rocky or sandy areas, on limestone.	Rocky or sandy slopes or washes, among pine, juniper, or oak, sometimes in desert scrub.
Elevation	10–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.)	1100–2000 m. (3600–6600 ft.)
Distribution	AZ; CO; KS; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	AZ; CA; NV; UT [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Dalea aurea is sometimes cultivated in rock gardens or dry soil for its showy flowers with yellow petals. In Texas, the species is quite widespread. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	The ranges of Dalea searlsiae and D. flavescens overlap only in a small area of south-central Utah and north-central Arizona. In California, D. searlsiae is known from the Inyo and White mountains and other desert mountains in the southeastern part of the state. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 11.	FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa	Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Dalea	Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Dalea
Sibling taxa	D. albiflora, D. bartonii, D. bicolor, D. brachystachys, D. cahaba, D. candida, D. carnea, D. carthagenensis, D. compacta, D. cylindriceps, D. emarginata, D. enneandra, D. exigua, D. exserta, D. feayi, D. filiformis, D. flavescens, D. foliosa, D. formosa, D. frutescens, D. gattingeri, D. grayi, D. greggii, D. hallii, D. jamesii, D. lachnostachys, D. lanata, D. laniceps, D. lasiathera, D. leporina, D. lumholtzii, D. mollis, D. mollissima, D. multiflora, D. nana, D. neomexicana, D. obovata, D. ornata, D. phleoides, D. pinnata, D. pogonathera, D. polygonoides, D. pringlei, D. pulchra, D. purpurea, D. reverchonii, D. sabinalis, D. scandens, D. scariosa, D. searlsiae, D. tentaculoides, D. tenuifolia, D. tenuis, D. urceolata, D. versicolor, D. villosa, D. wrightii	D. albiflora, D. aurea, D. bartonii, D. bicolor, D. brachystachys, D. cahaba, D. candida, D. carnea, D. carthagenensis, D. compacta, D. cylindriceps, D. emarginata, D. enneandra, D. exigua, D. exserta, D. feayi, D. filiformis, D. flavescens, D. foliosa, D. formosa, D. frutescens, D. gattingeri, D. grayi, D. greggii, D. hallii, D. jamesii, D. lachnostachys, D. lanata, D. laniceps, D. lasiathera, D. leporina, D. lumholtzii, D. mollis, D. mollissima, D. multiflora, D. nana, D. neomexicana, D. obovata, D. ornata, D. phleoides, D. pinnata, D. pogonathera, D. polygonoides, D. pringlei, D. pulchra, D. purpurea, D. reverchonii, D. sabinalis, D. scandens, D. scariosa, D. tentaculoides, D. tenuifolia, D. tenuis, D. urceolata, D. versicolor, D. villosa, D. wrightii
Synonyms	D. ceciliana	Petalostemon searlsiae
Name authority	Nuttall ex Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 740. (1813)	(A. Gray) Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 234. (1977)
Web links	Local Web sites: KS Wildflowers WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Dalea searlsiae

golden dalea, golden prairie clover

Searls' prairie clover

Stems

(2–)3–7.5 dm, nearly eglandular.

(2.5–)3–5.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)14–21 mm diam.;

axis not visible, (1–)1.5–6 cm;

bracts persistent to anthesis, 2.5–5.5 mm.

spikes, relatively densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, (8–)9–11 mm diam.;

axis partially visible at anthesis, (1.5–)2–9(–14) cm;

bracts deciduous, 3–5(–6) mm.

Peduncles

absent or very short, sometimes appearing relatively long due to small size of distalmost leaves.

(2.5–)4–16(–20) cm.

Stamens

10, 10–12.5 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–3 mm, anthers 0.6–0.9 mm.

5, 5.5–8.5 mm, filaments distinct to 3–5.1 mm, anthers 1.1–1.5 mm.

Corollas

clear yellow; papilionaceous;

banner 6.3–8.6 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 3–4.2 × 3.2–4.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached near middle of stamen tube;

wings 4.7–5.6 × 2–2.4 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades (4.7–)5–7 × 2.6–3.2 mm.

usually rose-purple, rarely white;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 5.3–7.2 mm, blade ovate to ovate-triangular or -oblong, 2.8–3.7 × 2.2–3.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades (2.7–)3–4.1 × (0.9–)1.1–1.6 mm.

Calyces

subsymmetric, 6.1–7.4 mm, silky-pilose;

tube 2.2–2.8 mm, with 3 or 4 small glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-aristate, becoming plumose.

asymmetric, deeply recessed opposite banner, opening oblique, (3.2–)3.5–4.6(–4.8) mm, glabrous or pilosulous proximally, pilosulous distally;

tube 2–2.8 mm, with (0 or)2–4 small, pale blister glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-subulate or adaxial pair triangular-ovate.

Legumes

3–3.5 mm, distally with 2 rows of ascending hairs on either side of a glabrescent row, eglandular.

3.2–4 mm, pilosulous to ± glabrous distally and gland-dotted.

Seeds

2–2.4 mm.

2–2.8 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, pilose to pilosulous.

herbs, erect, pilosulous throughout or glabrous proximal to inflorescence.

Principal

leaves 1–3.5(–4) cm;

leaflets (3 or)5(or 7), blades obovate to oblong-oblanceolate, (3–)4–16(–20) mm.

leaves 2–5.5 cm;

leaflets 5 or 7(or 9), blades flat or folded, oblanceolate to obovate, 7–20 mm, surfaces glandular-tuberculate abaxially.

= 14, 24.

Dalea searlsiae

Phenology

Flowering summer–early fall.

Flowering spring–summer.

Habitat

Open prairies, dry slopes, rocky or sandy areas, on limestone.

Rocky or sandy slopes or washes, among pine, juniper, or oak, sometimes in desert scrub.

Elevation

10–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.)

1100–2000 m. (3600–6600 ft.)

Distribution

AZ; CO; KS; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

AZ; CA; NV; UT

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Dalea aurea is sometimes cultivated in rock gardens or dry soil for its showy flowers with yellow petals. In Texas, the species is quite widespread.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

The ranges of Dalea searlsiae and D. flavescens overlap only in a small area of south-central Utah and north-central Arizona. In California, D. searlsiae is known from the Inyo and White mountains and other desert mountains in the southeastern part of the state.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source

FNA vol. 11.

Parent taxa

Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Dalea

Sibling taxa

D. albiflora, D. bartonii, D. bicolor, D. brachystachys, D. cahaba, D. candida, D. carnea, D. carthagenensis, D. compacta, D. cylindriceps, D. emarginata, D. enneandra, D. exigua, D. exserta, D. feayi, D. filiformis, D. flavescens, D. foliosa, D. formosa, D. frutescens, D. gattingeri, D. grayi, D. greggii, D. hallii, D. jamesii, D. lachnostachys, D. lanata, D. laniceps, D. lasiathera, D. leporina, D. lumholtzii, D. mollis, D. mollissima, D. multiflora, D. nana, D. neomexicana, D. obovata, D. ornata, D. phleoides, D. pinnata, D. pogonathera, D. polygonoides, D. pringlei, D. pulchra, D. purpurea, D. reverchonii, D. sabinalis, D. scandens, D. scariosa, D. searlsiae, D. tentaculoides, D. tenuifolia, D. tenuis, D. urceolata, D. versicolor, D. villosa, D. wrightii

D. albiflora, D. aurea, D. bartonii, D. bicolor, D. brachystachys, D. cahaba, D. candida, D. carnea, D. carthagenensis, D. compacta, D. cylindriceps, D. emarginata, D. enneandra, D. exigua, D. exserta, D. feayi, D. filiformis, D. flavescens, D. foliosa, D. formosa, D. frutescens, D. gattingeri, D. grayi, D. greggii, D. hallii, D. jamesii, D. lachnostachys, D. lanata, D. laniceps, D. lasiathera, D. leporina, D. lumholtzii, D. mollis, D. mollissima, D. multiflora, D. nana, D. neomexicana, D. obovata, D. ornata, D. phleoides, D. pinnata, D. pogonathera, D. polygonoides, D. pringlei, D. pulchra, D. purpurea, D. reverchonii, D. sabinalis, D. scandens, D. scariosa, D. tentaculoides, D. tenuifolia, D. tenuis, D. urceolata, D. versicolor, D. villosa, D. wrightii

Synonyms

D. ceciliana

Petalostemon searlsiae

Name authority

Nuttall ex Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 740. (1813)

(A. Gray) Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 234. (1977)

Web links

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Dalea aurea

Dalea searlsiae

Dalea aurea

Dalea searlsiae