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Cahaba prairie clover

Stems

ribbed, simple or proximally branched, 1.7–6.5(–7) dm, eglandular.

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, (7–)9–12 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.5–2.2(–2.8) cm;

bracts persistent through anthesis, proximals 4–7 mm, median 3.3–5 mm.

Peduncles

(0.5–)2–8.5 cm.

Stamens

5, 6–7 mm, filaments distinct for 4–4.5 mm, anthers (0.7–)0.9–1.2 mm.

Corollas

rose-purple;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 3.5–5.3 mm, blade ovate, 2–2.5 × 1.7–1.8 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 2.5–3 × 1.1–1.8 mm.

Calyces

subsymmetric, 4–5 mm, tomentulose, base with intertangled hairs;

tube 2.5 mm, with 0 glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-acuminate or adaxial pair lanceolate-ovate-acuminate to ovate-acuminate.

Legumes

3.2–4.4 mm, glabrous at base, tomentulose on distal 2/3, eglandular.

Seeds

1.9–2.2 mm.

Perennial

herbs, decumbent to weakly ascending, glabrate to pilosulous.

Principal

leaves 1.5–3.7 cm;

leaflets 3 or 5, blades inrolled to involute, linear to linear-lanceolate, 5–20 mm.

Dalea cahaba

Phenology Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Open glades, dolomite soils.
Elevation 70–200 m. (200–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dalea cahaba is apparently restricted to open glades in the Ketona dolomite formation in Bibb County. Because it is distinguished from similar species only by its sprawling habit and indument, genetic and transplant studies are needed to verify its status as a distinct species.

(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. brachystachys, 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
Name authority J. R. Allison: Castanea 66: 166, fig. 5. (2001)
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