FNA: Dalea greggii vs. Dalea aurea

	Dalea greggii	Dalea aurea
	Gregg's dalea, Gregg's prairie clover	golden dalea, golden prairie clover
Habit	Subshrubs, horizontal-spreading, mat-forming, at least young foliage silky-pilosulous.
Stems	procumbent or arching, often rooting along stems, 3–5(–20+) dm, eglandular or glandular-verruculose distally.	(2–)3–7.5 dm, nearly eglandular.
Inflorescences	spikes, relatively densely flowered, not involucrate, 8–11 mm diam.; axis usually not visible, 0.4–3(–5.5) cm; bracts persistent, 2–4 mm.	spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)14–21 mm diam.; axis not visible, (1–)1.5–6 cm; bracts persistent to anthesis, 2.5–5.5 mm.
Peduncles	0–4(–6) cm.	absent or very short, sometimes appearing relatively long due to small size of distalmost leaves.
Stamens	10, 5.5–7.5 mm, filaments distinct to 1.7–2.4 mm, anthers 0.5–0.7 mm.	10, 10–12.5 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–3 mm, anthers 0.6–0.9 mm.
Corollas	bicolored, banner cream to pale yellow, reddish in age, epistemonous petals pink to pink-purple; papilionaceous; banner 4.4–6.2 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 2.6–3.5 × 3.2–4.3 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube; wings 3.2–4.6 × 1.6–2.4 mm; keel connate valvately, blades 4–4.8(–5.3) × 2.2–3.3 mm.	clear yellow; papilionaceous; banner 6.3–8.6 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 3–4.2 × 3.2–4.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached near middle of stamen tube; wings 4.7–5.6 × 2–2.4 mm; keel connate valvately, blades (4.7–)5–7 × 2.6–3.2 mm.
Calyces	subsymmetric, (4–)4.2–6 mm, silky-pilosulous; tube (2–)2.2–2.8(–3) mm, usually with 3–8(–10) blister glands between ribs (scattered or in a row), lobes triangular-acuminate to lanceolate or aristate, unequal, abaxial longest.	subsymmetric, 6.1–7.4 mm, silky-pilose; tube 2.2–2.8 mm, with 3 or 4 small glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-aristate, becoming plumose.
Legumes	2.1–2.8 mm, pilosulous and gland-dotted distally.	3–3.5 mm, distally with 2 rows of ascending hairs on either side of a glabrescent row, eglandular.
Seeds	1.6–2 mm.	2–2.4 mm.
Principal	leaves 0.6–2.5(–3) cm; leaflets 5–9, blades obovate to oblanceolate, 2–7(–9) mm.	leaves 1–3.5(–4) cm; leaflets (3 or)5(or 7), blades obovate to oblong-oblanceolate, (3–)4–16(–20) mm.
Perennial		herbs, erect, pilose to pilosulous.
2n	= 14 (Mexico).	= 14, 24.

	Dalea greggii	Dalea aurea
Phenology	Flowering spring, fall, (year-round).	Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat	Rocky slopes, deserts, open woodlands, limestone soils.	Open prairies, dry slopes, rocky or sandy areas, on limestone.
Elevation	600–1400 m. (2000–4600 ft.)	10–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.)
Distribution	AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, south as far as Oaxaca) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	AZ; CO; KS; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Dalea greggii is cultivated as a ground cover and for erosion control in xeriscaping. In Texas, the species is known from the eastern trans-Pecos and Big Bend regions. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Dalea aurea is sometimes cultivated in rock gardens or dry soil for its showy flowers with yellow petals. In Texas, the species is quite widespread. (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. flavescens, D. foliosa, D. formosa, D. frutescens, D. gattingeri, D. grayi, 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. 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. 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		D. ceciliana
Name authority	A. Gray: Pl. Nov. Thurb., 314. (1854)	Nuttall ex Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 740. (1813)
Web links	WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local Web sites: KS Wildflowers WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Dalea greggii

Dalea aurea

Gregg's dalea, Gregg's prairie clover

golden dalea, golden prairie clover

Habit

Subshrubs, horizontal-spreading, mat-forming, at least young foliage silky-pilosulous.

Stems

procumbent or arching, often rooting along stems, 3–5(–20+) dm, eglandular or glandular-verruculose distally.

(2–)3–7.5 dm, nearly eglandular.

Inflorescences

spikes, relatively densely flowered, not involucrate, 8–11 mm diam.;

axis usually not visible, 0.4–3(–5.5) cm;

bracts persistent, 2–4 mm.

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)14–21 mm diam.;

axis not visible, (1–)1.5–6 cm;

bracts persistent to anthesis, 2.5–5.5 mm.

Peduncles

0–4(–6) cm.

absent or very short, sometimes appearing relatively long due to small size of distalmost leaves.

Stamens

10, 5.5–7.5 mm, filaments distinct to 1.7–2.4 mm, anthers 0.5–0.7 mm.

10, 10–12.5 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–3 mm, anthers 0.6–0.9 mm.

Corollas

bicolored, banner cream to pale yellow, reddish in age, epistemonous petals pink to pink-purple; papilionaceous;

banner 4.4–6.2 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 2.6–3.5 × 3.2–4.3 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 3.2–4.6 × 1.6–2.4 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades 4–4.8(–5.3) × 2.2–3.3 mm.

clear yellow; papilionaceous;

banner 6.3–8.6 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 3–4.2 × 3.2–4.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached near middle of stamen tube;

wings 4.7–5.6 × 2–2.4 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades (4.7–)5–7 × 2.6–3.2 mm.

Calyces

subsymmetric, (4–)4.2–6 mm, silky-pilosulous;

tube (2–)2.2–2.8(–3) mm, usually with 3–8(–10) blister glands between ribs (scattered or in a row), lobes triangular-acuminate to lanceolate or aristate, unequal, abaxial longest.

subsymmetric, 6.1–7.4 mm, silky-pilose;

tube 2.2–2.8 mm, with 3 or 4 small glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-aristate, becoming plumose.

Legumes

2.1–2.8 mm, pilosulous and gland-dotted distally.

3–3.5 mm, distally with 2 rows of ascending hairs on either side of a glabrescent row, eglandular.

Seeds

1.6–2 mm.

2–2.4 mm.

Principal

leaves 0.6–2.5(–3) cm;

leaflets 5–9, blades obovate to oblanceolate, 2–7(–9) mm.

leaves 1–3.5(–4) cm;

leaflets (3 or)5(or 7), blades obovate to oblong-oblanceolate, (3–)4–16(–20) mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, pilose to pilosulous.

= 14 (Mexico).

= 14, 24.

Dalea greggii

Dalea aurea

Phenology

Flowering spring, fall, (year-round).

Flowering summer–early fall.

Habitat

Rocky slopes, deserts, open woodlands, limestone soils.

Open prairies, dry slopes, rocky or sandy areas, on limestone.

Elevation

600–1400 m. (2000–4600 ft.)

10–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.)

Distribution

AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, south as far as Oaxaca)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

AZ; CO; KS; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Dalea greggii is cultivated as a ground cover and for erosion control in xeriscaping. In Texas, the species is known from the eastern trans-Pecos and Big Bend regions.

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

Dalea aurea is sometimes cultivated in rock gardens or dry soil for its showy flowers with yellow petals. In Texas, the species is quite widespread.

(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. enneandra, D. exigua, D. exserta, D. feayi, D. filiformis, D. flavescens, D. foliosa, D. formosa, D. frutescens, D. gattingeri, D. grayi, 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. 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. 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

D. ceciliana

Name authority

A. Gray: Pl. Nov. Thurb., 314. (1854)

Nuttall ex Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 740. (1813)

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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Flora of North America species comparison

Dalea greggii

Dalea aurea

Dalea greggii

Dalea aurea