Dalea candida
Dalea frutescens
white prairie-clover
black dalea, black prairie clover
2.5–10 dm, minutely gland-dotted or eglandular.
3–8(–12) dm, glandular-tuberculate distally.
spikes, densely to somewhat loosely flowered, cylindric, not involucrate, 6–9.5(–10) mm diam.;
axis visible or not, especially in fruit, (1–)1.5–5.5(–7.5) cm;
bracts early deciduous or proximals persistent, interfloral ones held in place by crowded flowers, 2.5–5.5 mm.
spikes, densely or loosely flowered, not involucrate, 8–11 mm diam.;
axis usually not visible, 0.2–2.5 cm;
bracts deciduous, 2.2–3.4(–4.5) mm.
0–5.5(–7.5) cm.
0.2–4.5(–5) cm.
5, (5–)5.2–7.6 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–4.5 mm, anthers 0.7–1.2 mm.
10, 6.8–8.2 mm, filaments distinct to 1.8–2.7 mm, anthers 0.5–0.8 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 2–3.1 × 1.1–2.6 mm.
usually bicolored, rarely all white, banner whitish with yellowish eye, reddish in age, epistemonous petals vivid pink-purple; papilionaceous;
banner 5.1–6.2 mm, blade ovate-cordate, 3.2–4.2 × 3.4–4.6 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube;
wings 4.3–5.2 × 2.7–3 mm;
keel connate valvately, blades (5–)5.3–6.5 × 3.3–3.9 mm.
subsymmetric, (2.9–)3–4.2(–4.4) mm, pilosulous or tube glabrous;
tube 1.9–2.7 mm, not deeply recessed opposite banner, with 1 (or 2) glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate to triangular, ± unequal, abaxial pair longest.
subsymmetric, 3.8–4.2 mm, glabrous;
tube 2.6–3.2(–3.5) mm, usually with 3–5(–7) glands between ribs, lobes broadly triangular to triangular-acuminate, unequal, abaxial longest.
(2.6–)2.8–4(–4.5) mm, glabrate or distally pilose, with ± prominent, elongated to circular glands on sides.
2.8–3.5 mm, glabrous or distally pilosulous, dotted with small glands distally.
1.7–2.3 mm.
1.7–2.3 mm.
herbs, erect to diffusely spreading, glabrous throughout or proximal to inflorescence.
leaves (1.5–)2–6 cm;
leaflets 5–9, blades oblong to obovate or narrowly elliptic-oblanceolate, (6–)9–35 mm.
leaves 1–2 cm;
leaflets 9–19(or 21), blades obovate to broadly oblanceolate, 1.5–3.5(–5) mm.
= 14.
Dalea candida
Dalea frutescens
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Varieties candida and oligophylla were treated as separate species by D. K. Wemple (1970) and are fairly well defined. In regions of overlap, var. oligophylla normally occupies higher, drier sites than var. candida.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Dalea frutescens is reported to be palatable for livestock and to decline under grazing pressure. In Texas, the species is widespread away from the coastal areas and generally from the Edwards Plateau westward to the trans-Pecos region.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Spike axis not visible; calyx tube glabrous. | var. candida |
1. Spike axis partially visible, especially in fruit; calyx tube usually pubescent, sometimes glabrous. | var. oligophylla |
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