FNA: Dalea mollis vs. Dalea cahaba

	Dalea mollis	Dalea cahaba
	hairy prairie clover, silky dalea	Cahaba prairie clover
Stems	1–3.5(–6.5) dm, glandular-tuberculate.	ribbed, simple or proximally branched, 1.7–6.5(–7) dm, eglandular.
Inflorescences	racemes, ± densely flowered, pedicels with black, prickleshaped glands at base and toward apex, not involucrate, 8–14 mm diam.; axis not visible, (0.5–)1–3.5 cm; bracts deciduous, (3–)4.5–8 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	0.2–2.5(–4.5) cm.	(0.5–)2–8.5 cm.
Stamens	10, 3.5–5.7 mm, filaments distinct to 2 mm, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm.	5, 6–7 mm, filaments distinct for 4–4.5 mm, anthers (0.7–)0.9–1.2 mm.
Corollas	whitish, banner and keel sometimes lilac-tinged; papilionaceous; banner 3–4.2 mm, blades broadly triangular to suborbiculate-cordate, (1.5–)1.7–2.9 × 2.2–3.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube; wings 2.1–3 × 1.1–1.4 mm; keel detaching from stamen tube after anthesis, connate by overlapping margins, blades 2.3–3.4 × 1.4–2 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	± symmetric, 3.3–6.6 mm, pilose; tube 1.6–2.5 mm, with (1 or)2–6 glands between ribs, lobes triangular or triangular-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	2.2–2.7 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands.	3.2–4.4 mm, glabrous at base, tomentulose on distal 2/3, eglandular.
Seeds	1.8–2.2 mm.	1.9–2.2 mm.
Annual	herbs, prostrate or decumbent, ± pilose or pilosulous.
Principal	leaves (0.5–)1–3.5 cm; leaflets (7 or) 9–13 (or 15), blades obovate to obcordate, (2–)3–8 mm, margins ± entire or obscurely undulate.	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	= 16 [Mexico].

	Dalea mollis	Dalea cahaba
Phenology	Flowering late winter–mid spring (fall–early winter).	Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat	Sandy or rocky desert slopes, flats, roadsides.	Open glades, dolomite soils.
Elevation	-50–700 m. (-200–2300 ft.)	70–200 m. (200–700 ft.)
Distribution	AZ; CA; NV; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Sonora) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	AL [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Some collectors assume that Dalea mollis is perennial; the season of bloom can be long in a good year, and individual plants can be robust. Most of the fall and early-winter plants are collected in early bloom; an occasional plant from that time-period is taken in late bloom. Dalea mollis is similar to D. mollissima and mixed collections are relatively common. In California, D. mollis is known from the desert regions in the southeastern part of the state. (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. hallii, D. jamesii, D. lachnostachys, D. lanata, D. laniceps, D. lasiathera, D. leporina, D. lumholtzii, 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	Bentham: Pl. Hartw., 306. (1849)	J. R. Allison: Castanea 66: 166, fig. 5. (2001)
Web links	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Dalea cahaba

hairy prairie clover, silky dalea

Cahaba prairie clover

Stems

1–3.5(–6.5) dm, glandular-tuberculate.

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

Inflorescences

racemes, ± densely flowered, pedicels with black, prickleshaped glands at base and toward apex, not involucrate, 8–14 mm diam.;

axis not visible, (0.5–)1–3.5 cm;

bracts deciduous, (3–)4.5–8 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

0.2–2.5(–4.5) cm.

(0.5–)2–8.5 cm.

Stamens

10, 3.5–5.7 mm, filaments distinct to 2 mm, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm.

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

Corollas

whitish, banner and keel sometimes lilac-tinged; papilionaceous;

banner 3–4.2 mm, blades broadly triangular to suborbiculate-cordate, (1.5–)1.7–2.9 × 2.2–3.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 2.1–3 × 1.1–1.4 mm;

keel detaching from stamen tube after anthesis, connate by overlapping margins, blades 2.3–3.4 × 1.4–2 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

± symmetric, 3.3–6.6 mm, pilose;

tube 1.6–2.5 mm, with (1 or)2–6 glands between ribs, lobes triangular or triangular-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

2.2–2.7 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands.

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

Seeds

1.8–2.2 mm.

1.9–2.2 mm.

Annual

herbs, prostrate or decumbent, ± pilose or pilosulous.

Principal

leaves (0.5–)1–3.5 cm;

leaflets (7 or) 9–13 (or 15), blades obovate to obcordate, (2–)3–8 mm, margins ± entire or obscurely undulate.

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.

= 16 [Mexico].

Dalea cahaba

Phenology

Flowering late winter–mid spring (fall–early winter).

Flowering late spring–early summer.

Habitat

Sandy or rocky desert slopes, flats, roadsides.

Open glades, dolomite soils.

Elevation

-50–700 m. (-200–2300 ft.)

70–200 m. (200–700 ft.)

Distribution

AZ; CA; NV; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Sonora)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Some collectors assume that Dalea mollis is perennial; the season of bloom can be long in a good year, and individual plants can be robust. Most of the fall and early-winter plants are collected in early bloom; an occasional plant from that time-period is taken in late bloom. Dalea mollis is similar to D. mollissima and mixed collections are relatively common. In California, D. mollis is known from the desert regions in the southeastern part of the state.

(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.

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. greggii, D. hallii, D. jamesii, D. lachnostachys, D. lanata, D. laniceps, D. lasiathera, D. leporina, D. lumholtzii, 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

Bentham: Pl. Hartw., 306. (1849)

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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Dalea mollis

Dalea cahaba

Dalea mollis

Dalea cahaba