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lumholtz's prairie clover

Santa Catalina prairie-clover

Habit Shrubs, relatively erect, stiffly-branching, silky- or velvety-pubescent distally.
Stems

1.5–5(–6) dm, glandular-verruculose.

5–10 dm, verruculose distally.

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, 6–8.5 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.4–1.4(–3) cm;

bracts persistent, (1.5–)2–4 mm.

spikes, densely flowered, obviously involucrate (proximalmost several whorls of bracts subtending rudimentary buds), 11.5–16 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.4–0.7 cm;

bracts deciduous, interfloral ones sometimes held in place by crowded flowers, 2–6.5 mm.

Peduncles

(1.5–)2.5–10 cm.

0–1 cm.

Stamens

10, 5–7.7 mm, filaments distinct to 2.6–3.7 mm, anthers 0.6–0.7 mm.

10, 7.5–9 mm, filaments distinct to 1.8–2.8 mm, anthers 0.6–0.7 mm.

Corollas

white, or epistemonous petals blue or bluish;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner plane, 3–5.2 mm, blade ovate-elliptic to suborbiculate, not peltate, 2–2.4 × 2–2.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached near middle of stamen tube, blades 2.3–4 × 1.1–1.3 mm.

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

banner 6–7.5 mm, blade ovate- or deltate-cordate, 2.8–4.2 × 3.4–4.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 4.1–5 × 2–2.6 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades 5.2–6.8 × 3–3.5 mm.

Calyces

strongly asymmetric, deeply recessed opposite banner, 2.7–4(–4.3) mm, glabrate or pubescent distally;

tube 2.1–2.8(–3) mm, with (0 or)3–6 minute glands between ribs, lobes subulate.

asymmetric, recessed opposite banner, (4.5–)4.8–7.2 mm, densely pilose;

tube 2.4–3.4 mm, hyaline intervals usually with row of inconspicuous blister glands between ribs (or eglandular), lobes triangular-aristate, spurred laterally near proximal end, unequal, abaxial longest.

Legumes

2.2–2.6 mm, puberulent distally, eglandular.

2.5–3 mm, densely pubescent distally, eglandular.

Seeds

1.6–1.8 mm.

1.5–1.8 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, pilosulous to puberulent.

Principal

leaves (2–)2.5–5 cm;

leaflets (9–)21–35, blades linear, linear-oblanceolate, or linear-elliptic, (1.5–)2–9(–10) mm.

leaves 0.5–1.5 cm;

leaflets 5 or 7(or 9), blades obovate to oblanceolate, 1.5–5 mm.

2n

= 14.

Dalea lumholtzii

Dalea pulchra

Phenology Flowering fall. Flowering spring.
Habitat Open rocky hillsides and canyons, open pine or oak woodlands. Sandy to gravelly or rocky grass­lands, open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands, desert scrub.
Elevation 1400–1900 m. (4600–6200 ft.) 900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Some herbarium labels comment on the lemon odor of Dalea lumholtzii. Although the epistemonous petals are generally blue or bluish, white-petaled plants are not uncommon in the flora area.

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

Plants of Dalea pulchra are attractive in flower. The spikes shatter quickly at anthesis; legumes and seeds are seldom seen.

(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. hallii, D. jamesii, D. lachnostachys, D. lanata, D. laniceps, D. lasiathera, D. leporina, 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. ornata, D. phleoides, D. pinnata, D. pogonathera, D. polygonoides, D. pringlei, 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 B. L. Robinson & Fernald: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 30: 115. (1894) Gentry: Madroño 10: 227, plate 14. (1950)
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