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bigtop dalea, nine-anther dalea, nineanther prairie clover

Stems

(5–)6–12 dm, eglandular or sparsely glandular-punctate.

Inflorescences

spikes, remotely flowered, most flowers separated by distinct intervals, not involucrate, 7–10 mm diam.;

axis visible, (1–)2.5–12 cm;

bracts persistent, enfolding and falling with fruit, 3–4.2 mm.

Peduncles

0.5–3.5(–5.5) cm.

Stamens

9, 6.3–9.4 mm, filaments distinct to 2.2–3.5 mm, anthers 0.8–1.2 mm.

Corollas

white; papilionaceous;

banner 5.7–7 mm, blade broadly ovate, 3.6–4 × 3.2–4.2 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 2.7–3.4 × 1.4–2 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades (4.5–)4.8–5.8 × 2.6–3 mm.

Calyces

± asymmetric, opening oblique, 6.2–7.6 mm, silky-pilosulous;

tube 3–3.5(–3.7) mm, with 3 or 4 inconspicuous glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate, becoming plumose.

Legumes

3–3.7 mm, pilosulous and, sometimes, gland-dotted distally.

Seeds

2.4–2.8 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.

Principal

leaves 1.3–2.6 cm;

leaflets (3–)7–11(or 13), blades narrowly oblanceolate or elliptic, 4–11(–12) mm.

2n

= 14.

Dalea enneandra

Phenology Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat Plains, prairies, many substrates.
Elevation 30–1400 m. (100–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; IA; IL; KS; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dalea enneandra is native to the Great Plains and as far east as the Texas coast and the loess hill prairies of western Iowa and northwestern Missouri. It is naturalized in DuPage County, Illinois. Its persistent calyx aids in wind dispersal of fruit.

(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. cahaba, D. candida, D. carnea, D. carthagenensis, D. compacta, D. cylindriceps, D. emarginata, 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
Synonyms Parosela enneandra
Name authority Nuttall: Cat. Pl. Upper Louisiana, no. 30. (1813)
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