FNA: Dalea brachystachys vs. Dalea multiflora

	Dalea brachystachys	Dalea multiflora
		roundhead prairie clover
Stems	(0.5–)1–3.5(–4) dm, eglandular or sparsely glandular-verruculose.	3–8 dm, glandular-punctate.
Inflorescences	spikes, densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, 8–11 mm diam.; axis not to partially visible, 0.3–1.6 cm; bracts deciduous near anthesis, 2.5–6 mm.	spikes, densely flowered, nearly globose, inconspicuously involucrate (lowest bracts not subtending flowers), 7–9 mm diam.; axis not visible, 0.4–1(–1.2) cm; bracts early deciduous or proximals persistent, interfloral ones held in place by crowded flowers, 2–2.4 mm.
Peduncles	1–7 cm.	(0–)0.5–3(–7) cm.
Stamens	(9 or)10, 3.5–5.5 mm, filaments distinct to 1–1.4(–2) mm, anthers 0.3–0.5(–0.6) mm.	5, (5–)5.2–7.6 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–4.5 mm, anthers 0.7–1.2 mm.
Corollas	clear yellow, pinkish or brownish in age; papilionaceous; banner 2–3.4(–6) mm, blade deltate-ovate or cordate, 1–2 × 1–2 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube; wings 1–2(–2.9) × 0.7–1.1(–1.8) mm; keel connate valvately, blades 1.8–2.8(–3.8) × 1.3–2(–2.4) mm.	white; not conventionally papilionaceous; banner (4–)4.2–5.7 mm, blade deltate-obovate, 2.3–3.4 × 2.4–3.7(–4.2) mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 2.3–3.5 × 1.5–2.1 mm.
Calyces	subsymmetric, (3.5–)4.4–5.8(–6) mm, pilose; tube 1.5–2.1 mm, with (0–)3 glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate.	subsymmetric, (2.9–)3–4.2(–4.4) mm, glabrous, lobes ciliolate; tube 1.6–2.6 mm, not deeply recessed opposite banner, with 1(–3) small blister glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate to triangular, ± unequal, abaxial pair longest.
Legumes	2.3–2.6 mm, pilosulous and, sometimes, gland-dotted distally.	2.5–3 mm, glabrate, with ± prominent elongated glands on sides.
Seeds	1.4–1.7 mm.	1.6–2 mm.
Annual	herbs (monocarpic), erect or diffuse, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.
Principal	leaves 0.8–2.5(–3) cm; leaflets (3 or)5–11, blades oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 2–14(–16) mm.	leaves 2–3 cm; leaflets (7 or)9 or 11(or 13), blades oblong to elliptic-oblanceolate, or linear-oblong, 7–13 mm.
Perennial		herbs, erect to spreading, glabrous.
2n	= 14.

	Dalea brachystachys	Dalea multiflora
Phenology	Flowering late summer–fall (spring).	Flowering late spring–early fall.
Habitat	Dry, open habitats in deserts, desert grasslands, open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands.	Prairies, rocky hills.
Elevation	1300–2500 m. (4300–8200 ft.)	0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.)
Distribution	AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas)	CO; KS; MO; NE; OK; TX [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Dalea brachystachys is found as far south as southeastern Puebla. In the flora area, it is most common in extreme southeastern Arizona and adjacent southwestern New Mexico, with scattered populations through much of both states. Unlike most annual Dalea species, it is rarely weedy. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Dalea multiflora shows considerable geographic variation in stature. Its floral structure is similar to that of D. candida var. candida, and individuals intermediate between the two species occur (R. C. Barneby 1977c). In Texas, D. multiflora is known from the eastern two-thirds 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. aurea, D. bartonii, D. bicolor, 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. 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
Synonyms	D. lemmonii	Petalostemon multiflorus, Kuhnistera multiflora
Name authority	A. Gray: Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 5(6): 39. (1853)	(Nuttall) Shinners: Field & Lab. 17: 82. (1949)
Web links	WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local Web sites: KS Wildflowers, MO Plants WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Dalea multiflora

roundhead prairie clover

Stems

(0.5–)1–3.5(–4) dm, eglandular or sparsely glandular-verruculose.

3–8 dm, glandular-punctate.

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, 8–11 mm diam.;

axis not to partially visible, 0.3–1.6 cm;

bracts deciduous near anthesis, 2.5–6 mm.

spikes, densely flowered, nearly globose, inconspicuously involucrate (lowest bracts not subtending flowers), 7–9 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.4–1(–1.2) cm;

bracts early deciduous or proximals persistent, interfloral ones held in place by crowded flowers, 2–2.4 mm.

Peduncles

1–7 cm.

(0–)0.5–3(–7) cm.

Stamens

(9 or)10, 3.5–5.5 mm, filaments distinct to 1–1.4(–2) mm, anthers 0.3–0.5(–0.6) mm.

5, (5–)5.2–7.6 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–4.5 mm, anthers 0.7–1.2 mm.

Corollas

clear yellow, pinkish or brownish in age; papilionaceous;

banner 2–3.4(–6) mm, blade deltate-ovate or cordate, 1–2 × 1–2 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 1–2(–2.9) × 0.7–1.1(–1.8) mm;

keel connate valvately, blades 1.8–2.8(–3.8) × 1.3–2(–2.4) mm.

white;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner (4–)4.2–5.7 mm, blade deltate-obovate, 2.3–3.4 × 2.4–3.7(–4.2) mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 2.3–3.5 × 1.5–2.1 mm.

Calyces

subsymmetric, (3.5–)4.4–5.8(–6) mm, pilose;

tube 1.5–2.1 mm, with (0–)3 glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate.

subsymmetric, (2.9–)3–4.2(–4.4) mm, glabrous, lobes ciliolate;

tube 1.6–2.6 mm, not deeply recessed opposite banner, with 1(–3) small blister glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate to triangular, ± unequal, abaxial pair longest.

Legumes

2.3–2.6 mm, pilosulous and, sometimes, gland-dotted distally.

2.5–3 mm, glabrate, with ± prominent elongated glands on sides.

Seeds

1.4–1.7 mm.

1.6–2 mm.

Annual

herbs (monocarpic), erect or diffuse, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.

Principal

leaves 0.8–2.5(–3) cm;

leaflets (3 or)5–11, blades oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 2–14(–16) mm.

leaves 2–3 cm;

leaflets (7 or)9 or 11(or 13), blades oblong to elliptic-oblanceolate, or linear-oblong, 7–13 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect to spreading, glabrous.

= 14.

Dalea multiflora

Phenology

Flowering late summer–fall (spring).

Flowering late spring–early fall.

Habitat

Dry, open habitats in deserts, desert grasslands, open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands.

Prairies, rocky hills.

Elevation

1300–2500 m. (4300–8200 ft.)

0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.)

Distribution

AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas)

CO; KS; MO; NE; OK; TX

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Dalea brachystachys is found as far south as southeastern Puebla. In the flora area, it is most common in extreme southeastern Arizona and adjacent southwestern New Mexico, with scattered populations through much of both states. Unlike most annual Dalea species, it is rarely weedy.

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

Dalea multiflora shows considerable geographic variation in stature. Its floral structure is similar to that of D. candida var. candida, and individuals intermediate between the two species occur (R. C. Barneby 1977c). In Texas, D. multiflora is known from the eastern two-thirds 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. aurea, D. bartonii, D. bicolor, 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. 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

Synonyms

D. lemmonii

Petalostemon multiflorus, Kuhnistera multiflora

Name authority

A. Gray: Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 5(6): 39. (1853)

(Nuttall) Shinners: Field & Lab. 17: 82. (1949)

Web links

Local Web sites: KS Wildflowers, MO Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database
LBJ Wildflower Center
SEINet
Plants of the World Online
Encyclopedia of Life
Wikipedia
Google Image Search

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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Dalea brachystachys

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