Flora of North America species comparison

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Dalea cahaba

Dalea exserta

Cahaba prairie clover

Mexican prairie clover
Stems

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

ribbed, (1.5–)5–10(–12) dm, glandular-verrucose distally.
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.

spikes, relatively densely flowered, not involucrate, 13–16 mm diam.;

axis usually not visible, (1.5–)2–8 cm;

bracts deciduous by anthesis, (3–)4–8 mm.
Peduncles

(0.5–)2–8.5 cm.

(1–)2.5–14 cm.
Stamens

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

8–10, (7.5–)8–11 mm, filaments distinct to 0.1–1.6 mm, anthers 0.4–0.5 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.

white, sometimes banner purplish in age;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 4.9–7.3 mm, blade lanceolate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, 3–4.8 × 2.2–2.3 mm; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube, blades somewhat unequal, laterals (2–)3.4–5 × 1–1.8 mm, abaxials 3–3.7 × 1.1–1.6 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.

asymmetric, recessed opposite banner, 4.8–7 mm, glabrous;

tube (2.5–)2.7–3.8 mm, with 2–4(–8) large glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate.
Legumes

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

2.2–2.8 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands.
Seeds

1.9–2.2 mm.

1.6–1.8(–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.

leaves 3–10 cm;

leaflets 19–37, blades oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, 2–9 mm.
Annual

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.
2n

= 14 (Mexico).

Dalea cahaba

Dalea exserta
Phenology Flowering late spring–early summer. Flowering fall–spring.
Habitat Open glades, dolomite soils. Openings in woods, disturbed ground.
Elevation 70–200 m. (200–700 ft.) 1000–1200 m. (3300–3900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; Mexico; Central America
[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.)

The existence of Dalea exserta in the flora area rests on specimens collected in 1939 by Goodding in Sycamore Canyon, near Ruby in Santa Cruz County. Because it is an annual that often grows in disturbed ground, it may be found again there or at some other locality in southern Arizona.

(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. 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
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. 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
Synonyms Parosela exserta
Name authority J. R. Allison: Castanea 66: 166, fig. 5. (2001) (Rydberg) Gentry: Publ. Carnegie Inst. Wash. 527: 138. (1942)
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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