Flora of North America species comparison

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Dalea exigua

Dalea ornata

Chihuahuan prairie clover

Blue Mountain prairie-clover, ornate dalea, western prairie clover
Stems

1–4(–4.5) dm, eglandular or weakly gland-dotted.

(2–)2.5–6(–7) dm, dotted with small, raised glands.
Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, 5–8 mm diam.;

axis not visible, (0.8–)1.3–4.5(–6) cm;

bracts persistent through anthesis, 2.5–3.3 mm.

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

axis not visible, (1–)1.5–5 cm;

bracts deciduous, interfloral ones often held in place by crowded flowers, (3–)4–7.5(–8.5) mm.
Peduncles

(2.5–)4–16 cm.

1–11 cm.
Stamens

4–7, 3–6 fertile, 3.2–4 mm, filaments distinct to 1 mm, anthers 0.2–0.3 mm.

5, (7.3–)7.7–12 mm, filaments distinct to (3.6–)4.7–7.6 mm, anthers 1–1.4 mm.
Corollas

lavender or pink-purple;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 3.4–4.2 mm, blade ovate, 1.3–1.6 × 1–1.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached high on stamen tube, just proximal to separation of filaments, blades 1.7–2.3 × 0.9–1.1 mm.

usually rose-purple to lilac, rarely white;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 7–9 mm, blade ovate to oblong-ovate, 3.3–4.5 × (2–)2.3–4 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades (3.3–)3.5–5 × 1.4–2 mm.
Calyces

asymmetric, recessed opposite banner, 3.8–4.3 mm, silky-pilose;

tube 1.9–2.2 mm, with 0 glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate.

subsymmetric, (3.6–)3.9–6.3(–6.7) mm, pilose throughout or distally;

tube (2.4–)2.7–3.6(–3.8) mm, with 2–9 small glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate to ovate.
Legumes

2.5 mm, pilosulous distally, eglandular.

3–3.5 mm, pilosulous distally and gland-dotted.
Seeds

1.9–2.3 mm.

2–2.4 mm.
Annual

herbs, erect, glabrate.

Principal

leaves 1.5–5.5 cm;

leaflets 3 or 5, blades linear-oblanceolate to -elliptic, (0.5–)1–3.7(–4) cm.

leaves 2.5–5.5(–6.5) cm;

leaflets 5 or 7 (or 9), blades oblanceolate to obovate, 7–22 mm.
Perennial

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescence.
2n

= 14.

Dalea exigua

Dalea ornata
Phenology Flowering fall. Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Grassy slopes, roadsides, open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands. Rocky, sandy, or clay soils in dry areas, often among sagebrush.
Elevation 1500–2400 m. (4900–7900 ft.) 100–2000 m. (300–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dalea exigua occurs in southeastern Arizona (Cochise, Pima, and Santa Cruz counties) and adjacent southwestern New Mexico. A disjunct population occurs in McKinley County, New Mexico.

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

Dalea ornata is nearly endemic to the Columbia-Snake river basin. In California, the species is known only from the Shaffer Mountain region in Lassen County.

(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. cahaba, D. candida, D. carnea, D. carthagenensis, D. compacta, D. cylindriceps, D. emarginata, D. enneandra, 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. 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. 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 Petalostemon exilis Petalostemon ornatus
Name authority Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 200. (1977) (Douglas) Eaton & Wright: Man. Bot. ed. 8, 219. (1840) — (as ornatum)
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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