Flora of North America species comparison

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Dalea filiformis

Dalea cahaba

Sonoran prairie-clover

Cahaba prairie clover
Stems

(0.4–)0.7–3(–3.5) dm, eglandular.

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

spikes, relatively densely flowered, not involucrate, 5–7 mm diam.;

axis not to partially visible, (0.2–)0.3–1.5(–2) cm;

bracts early deciduous, 1.5–2.8 mm.

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.
Peduncles

(1.3–)2–8 cm.

(0.5–)2–8.5 cm.
Stamens

10, 2.5–3.5 mm, filaments distinct to 0.6–0.9 mm, anthers 0.2–0.3 mm.

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

all pinkish or reddish, or banner paler; papilionaceous;

banner 2.6–3.5 mm, blade ovate or deltate-ovate, 1.4–1.8 × 0.9–1.6 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 1.2–1.8(–2) × 0.8–1.1 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades 1.4–1.9 × 0.8–1.1 mm.

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.
Calyces

± asymmetric, not strongly recessed opposite banner, opening oblique, (2.5–)2.8–3.5 mm, pilosulous;

tube (1.3–)2.8–3.5 mm, with 0 or 1(or 2) small glands between ribs, lobes triangular-acuminate or -aristate.

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.
Legumes

2–2.4 mm, pilosulous and, sometimes, gland-dotted distally.

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

1.5–1.9 mm.

1.9–2.2 mm.
Annual

herbs, erect, glabrous or glabrate proximal to inflorescences.

Principal

leaves 1–3.5 cm;

leaflets 3 or 5, blades linear-filiform, 5–23 mm.

leaves 1.5–3.7 cm;

leaflets 3 or 5, blades inrolled to involute, linear to linear-lanceolate, 5–20 mm.
Perennial

herbs, decumbent to weakly ascending, glabrate to pilosulous.
2n

= 14.

Dalea filiformis

Dalea cahaba
Phenology Flowering late summer–fall (spring). Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands, grasslands, rocky soils along roads, disturbed places. Open glades, dolomite soils.
Elevation 1600–2400 m. (5200–7900 ft.) 70–200 m. (200–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dalea filiformis is distinctive in its relatively few, narrow leaflets. Its range is primarily southeastern and central Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, but it does occur in northern Arizona to nearly the Utah border, and there is one report for northern New Mexico in Sandoval County.

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

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.)
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. exigua, D. exserta, D. feayi, 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. 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
Name authority A. Gray: Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 5(6): 39. (1853) J. R. Allison: Castanea 66: 166, fig. 5. (2001)
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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