Dalea cahaba |
|
---|---|
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 |
AL |
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 | |
Sibling taxa | |
Name authority | J. R. Allison: Castanea 66: 166, fig. 5. (2001) |
Web links |