Flora of North America species comparison

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Dalea aurea

Dalea tenuifolia

golden dalea, golden prairie clover

bigtop dalea, flimleaf prairieclover, slimleaf prairie clover
Stems

(2–)3–7.5 dm, nearly eglandular.

(1.5–)2–5(–5.5) dm, usually pilosulous at base, glabrescent distally, eglandular.
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, moderately densely flowered, not involucrate, 8–10 mm diam.;

axis becoming partially visible, (0.5–)1–7(–9) cm;

bracts deciduous by anthesis, 2.5–4.5(–5.5) mm.
Peduncles

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

(0.9–)1.5–8(–12.5) cm.
Stamens

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

5, 6–8.3 mm, filaments distinct to 3.5–5 mm, anthers 0.9–1.5 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.

rose-purple;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 5.5–6.5 mm, blade cordate, 2.3–3.1 × 2.6–3.1 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 2.7–3.4 × 1.2–1.5 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.

subsymmetric, (3.1–)3.4–4.5 mm, densely pilose;

tube (1.6–)1.9–2.4 mm, prominently to indistinctly 10-ribbed, ± circular in cross section, with 0 glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate or adaxial pair ovate-lanceolate to ovate.
Legumes

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

2.8–3.5 mm, pilosulous and often gland-dotted distally.
Seeds

2–2.4 mm.

2 mm.
Perennial

herbs, erect, pilose to pilosulous.

herbs, diffusely spreading to decumbent, mostly pilosulous ± throughout.
Principal

leaves 1–3.5(–4) cm;

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

leaves 2–4 cm;

leaflets 3 or 5, blades linear-oblanceolate, 10–22 mm.
2n

= 14, 24.

= 14.

Dalea aurea

Dalea tenuifolia
Phenology Flowering summer–early fall. Flowering late spring–summer (fall).
Habitat Open prairies, dry slopes, rocky or sandy areas, on limestone. Rocky places, limestone soils.
Elevation 10–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.) 800–1400 m. (2600–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; KS; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; KS; NM; OK; TX
[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.)

Dalea tenuifolia is known from the southern high plains. In Texas, the species is found in the northern panhandle and extreme north-central 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. searlsiae, D. tentaculoides, D. tenuis, D. urceolata, D. versicolor, D. villosa, D. wrightii
Synonyms D. ceciliana Petalostemon tenuifolius
Name authority Nuttall ex Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 740. (1813) (A. Gray) Shinners: Field & Lab. 17: 84. (1949)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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