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pink tassels, whitetassels

Photo is of parent taxon
Stems

3–8(–10) dm, gland-dotted distally.

erect to ascending, 3–8(–10) dm.

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, 7–10 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.5–3(–3.5) cm;

bracts deciduous with fruit, 2–5.5 mm.

Peduncles

0–8 cm.

Spike

8–10 mm diam., axis 1–3(–3.5) cm.

Stamens

5, 5–9.5 mm, filaments distinct to 2.7–6 mm, anthers 0.6–0.9 mm.

(5.5–)6–9.5 mm.

Corollas

usually white, sometimes pink to pinkish tan;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 3.8–5.7 mm, blade ovate, 1.8–3 × 1.4–2.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 1.7–3.3 × 0.7–1.11 mm.

Calyces

asymmetric, deeply recessed opposite banner, opening oblique, 2.7–4.3 mm, glabrous except lobes ciliolate;

tube 2–3.5 mm, with (0 or)1–3 small blister glands between ribs, lobes subulate or adaxial pair ovate.

3.2–4.3 mm;

tube 2–3.2 mm, lobes 0.9–1.5 mm.

Legumes

2.5–3 mm, glabrous or distally pilosulous, ± glandular.

Seeds

1.4–1.8 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect to ascending or diffusely spreading to procumbent, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.

Principal

leaves 1.5–4 cm;

leaflets 5–9, blades flat or folded, elliptic to oblanceolate, (5–)6–17 mm.

leaves 1.5–3.5 cm;

leaflets (5 or)7 or 9.

Petals

usually pink to pinkish tan, rarely white.

2n

= 14.

Dalea carnea

Dalea carnea var. carnea

Phenology Flowering summer–early winter.
Habitat Relatively low, moist ground, often with palmettos.
Elevation 0–20 m. (0–100 ft.)
Distribution
from USDA
se United States
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; GA
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

The varieties of Dalea carnea are fairly distinctive, and two are largely allopatric. Variety gracilis occurs in the Florida panhandle and west while var. carnea is found farther east and throughout peninsular Florida. Variety albida overlaps the ranges of the other varieties and extends north into Georgia.

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

In Florida, var. carnea is known from the eastern panhandle southward throughout the peninsula.

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

Key
1. Calyces 3.2–4.3 mm, lobes 0.9–1.5 mm; petals usually pink to pinkish tan, rarely white.
var. carnea
1. Calyces 2.7–3.5 mm, lobes 0.6–1.1 mm; petals white.
→ 2
2. Leaflets mostly 5; stamens 6–9.5 mm; stems erect to ascending.
var. albida
2. Leaflets mostly 7; stamens 5–6 mm; stems diffusely spreading to procumbent.
var. gracilis
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Dalea Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Dalea > Dalea carnea
Sibling taxa
D. albiflora, D. aurea, D. bartonii, D. bicolor, D. brachystachys, D. cahaba, D. candida, 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. carnea var. albida, D. carnea var. gracilis
Subordinate taxa
D. carnea var. albida, D. carnea var. carnea, D. carnea var. gracilis
Synonyms Petalostemon carneus
Name authority (Michaux) Poiret in F. Cuvier: Dict. Sci. Nat. ed. 2, 12: 462. (1818) unknown
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