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Canyonlands prairie clover

bigtop dalea, nine-anther dalea, nineanther prairie clover

Stems

(2.5–)3–4.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.

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

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, 8.5–12(–13) mm diam.;

axis not visible, (1–)1.5–7(–10) cm;

bracts deciduous, interfloral ones often held in place by crowded flowers, 2.5–5.5(–6.5) mm.

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

(4–)7–20(–25) cm.

0.5–3.5(–5.5) cm.

Stamens

5, (5.5–)6.2–10(–12.7) mm, filaments distinct to 3.4–6.2(–8.7) mm, anthers 0.9–1.6 mm.

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

Corollas

white, ochroleucous in drying;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 5–7.4(–8.4) mm, blade broadly triangular to ovate, 2.6–4.2 ×2.2–3.9(–4.5) mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 3–3.9(–4.5) × 0.9–1.6(–1.9) mm.

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, deeply recessed opposite banner, (3–)3.3–4.7(–5.2) mm, pilosulous, especially distally;

tube (2–)2.2–2.8 mm, with 0–3 small, pale blister glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate.

± 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

3.1–3.7 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands.

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

Seeds

2.1–2.4 mm.

2.4–2.8 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, pilosulous except stems glabrous.

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.

Principal

leaves (2–)2.5–4(–4.5) cm;

leaflets 5 or 7, blades oblong-obovate to narrowly oblong-elliptic, 7–17(–19) mm, surfaces glandular-punctate to glandular-verruculose abaxially.

leaves 1.3–2.6 cm;

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

2n

= 14.

Dalea flavescens

Dalea enneandra

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer. Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat Dry hills, sandy or rocky places, desert shrub communities, sometimes on limestone. Plains, prairies, many substrates.
Elevation 900–1600 m. (3000–5200 ft.) 30–1400 m. (100–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; IA; IL; KS; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The distributions of Dalea flavescens and D. searlsiae are nearly discrete.

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

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. 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. filiformis, 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. 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 Petalostemon flavescens, D. epica Parosela enneandra
Name authority (S. Watson) S. L. Welsh ex Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 231. (1977) Nuttall: Cat. Pl. Upper Louisiana, no. 30. (1813)
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