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Hall's prairie clover

Cahaba prairie clover

Stems

1.3–3(–4) dm, eglandular or with scattered small glands.

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

Inflorescences

spikes, relatively loosely flowered, not involucrate, 14–17 mm diam.;

axis partially visible, 1–5 cm;

bracts deciduous near anthesis, 4–6.5 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

usually absent, rarely to 1 cm.

(0.5–)2–8.5 cm.

Stamens

10, 9.5–11.5 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–3 mm, anthers (0.7–)0.8–1 mm.

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

Corollas

yellow, rarely brownish in age; papilionaceous;

banner 5–6.2 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 2.8–3.3 × 3–3.8 mm; epistemonous petals attached near middle of stamen tube;

wings 3.6–5 × 2.2–2.8 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades 5.2–6.4 × 3.6–4 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, recessed opposite banner, (5.1–)5.5–7.8 mm, pilosulous to pilose;

tube 2.4–3 mm, with 2 or 3 small glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-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

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

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

Seeds

2.2 mm.

1.9–2.2 mm.

Perennial

herbs, decumbent to ascending, strigulose.

herbs, decumbent to weakly ascending, glabrate to pilosulous.

Principal

leaves 1.5–4.5 cm;

leaflets 3, blades linear-elliptic to linear, 8–30(–35) mm.

leaves 1.5–3.7 cm;

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

Dalea hallii

Dalea cahaba

Phenology Flowering spring (fall). Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Rocky outcrops in grasslands, usually on limestone. Open glades, dolomite soils.
Elevation 100–600 m. (300–2000 ft.) 70–200 m. (200–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dalea hallii is endemic to central and north-central Texas from the edge of the Edwards Plateau from as far south as Bandera County northward to Fannin County along the Red River.

(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. filiformis, D. flavescens, D. foliosa, D. formosa, D. frutescens, D. gattingeri, D. grayi, D. greggii, 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: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 625. (1873) J. R. Allison: Castanea 66: 166, fig. 5. (2001)
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