FNA: Dalea mollissima vs. Dalea frutescens

	Dalea mollissima	Dalea frutescens
	downy dalea, silky dalea, soft prairie clover	black dalea, black prairie clover
Habit		Shrubs, highly branched, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.
Stems	0.5–3.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.	3–8(–12) dm, glandular-tuberculate distally.
Inflorescences	racemes, spikelike, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)13–16(–17) mm diam.; axis not visible, 1.5–7.5 cm; bracts deciduous, 4.5–7 mm.	spikes, densely or loosely flowered, not involucrate, 8–11 mm diam.; axis usually not visible, 0.2–2.5 cm; bracts deciduous, 2.2–3.4(–4.5) mm.
Peduncles	0.2–2.5(–4.5) cm.	0.2–4.5(–5) cm.
Stamens	10, 4.3–5 mm, filaments distinct to 1 mm, anthers 0.4–0.5 mm.	10, 6.8–8.2 mm, filaments distinct to 1.8–2.7 mm, anthers 0.5–0.8 mm.
Corollas	whitish, banner sometimes lilac-tinged, keel tip sometimes lilac-tinged; papilionaceous; banner 2.8–3.7 mm, blade broadly triangular to suborbiculate-cordate, (1.6–)1.8–2.2 × (1.4–)1.7–2.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube; wings 1.8–2.1 × 1.1–1.3 mm; keel detaching from stamen column after anthesis, connate by overlapping margins, blades 2.6–2.9 × 1.5–1.8 mm.	usually bicolored, rarely all white, banner whitish with yellowish eye, reddish in age, epistemonous petals vivid pink-purple; papilionaceous; banner 5.1–6.2 mm, blade ovate-cordate, 3.2–4.2 × 3.4–4.6 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube; wings 4.3–5.2 × 2.7–3 mm; keel connate valvately, blades (5–)5.3–6.5 × 3.3–3.9 mm.
Calyces	± symmetric, (5.8–)6.1–8.2 mm, pilose; tube (2.5–)2.7–3.3 mm, with (3 or)4–7 glands between ribs, lobes triangular or triangular-aristate.	subsymmetric, 3.8–4.2 mm, glabrous; tube 2.6–3.2(–3.5) mm, usually with 3–5(–7) glands between ribs, lobes broadly triangular to triangular-acuminate, unequal, abaxial longest.
Legumes	2.4–3 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands.	2.8–3.5 mm, glabrous or distally pilosulous, dotted with small glands distally.
Seeds	1.8–2.2 mm.	1.7–2.3 mm.
Annual	herbs, prostrate or decumbent, ± pilose or pilosulous.
Principal	leaves 2–4 cm; leaflets 9–15, blades cuneate-obovate, 3–9(–10) mm, margins undulate-crenate.	leaves 1–2 cm; leaflets 9–19(or 21), blades obovate to broadly oblanceolate, 1.5–3.5(–5) mm.
2n	= 16.	= 14.

	Dalea mollissima	Dalea frutescens
Phenology	Flowering early spring(–fall, winter).	Flowering late summer–fall (spring).
Habitat	Sandy or rocky desert slopes, flats, roadsides.	Rocky ground, desert grasslands, scrub, open juniper or oak woodlands, often on limestone.
Elevation	0–900 m. (0–3000 ft.)	200–2300 m. (700–7500 ft.)
Distribution	AZ; CA; NV; TX; Mexico (Baja California) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	NM; OK; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Although Dalea mollissima normally blooms early in the spring, with adequate summer moisture it germinates in fall and winters over, so that individual plants can be large and may be mistaken as perennial. It resembles D. mollis, with which it overlaps in range, and may be collected with that species. Cuneate-obovate and undulate-margined leaves of D. mollissima resemble those of D. neomexicana, leading to further confusion among herbarium specimens. In California, D. mollissima is known only from the desert regions in the southeastern part of the state. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Dalea frutescens is reported to be palatable for livestock and to decline under grazing pressure. In Texas, the species is widespread away from the coastal areas and generally from the Edwards Plateau westward to the trans-Pecos region. (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. mollis, 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. 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	Parosela mollissima
Name authority	(Rydberg) Munz: Aliso 4: 93. (1958)	A. Gray: Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6: 175. (1850)
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 frutescens

downy dalea, silky dalea, soft prairie clover

black dalea, black prairie clover

Habit

Shrubs, highly branched, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.

Stems

0.5–3.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.

3–8(–12) dm, glandular-tuberculate distally.

Inflorescences

racemes, spikelike, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)13–16(–17) mm diam.;

axis not visible, 1.5–7.5 cm;

bracts deciduous, 4.5–7 mm.

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

axis usually not visible, 0.2–2.5 cm;

bracts deciduous, 2.2–3.4(–4.5) mm.

Peduncles

0.2–2.5(–4.5) cm.

0.2–4.5(–5) cm.

Stamens

10, 4.3–5 mm, filaments distinct to 1 mm, anthers 0.4–0.5 mm.

10, 6.8–8.2 mm, filaments distinct to 1.8–2.7 mm, anthers 0.5–0.8 mm.

Corollas

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

banner 2.8–3.7 mm, blade broadly triangular to suborbiculate-cordate, (1.6–)1.8–2.2 × (1.4–)1.7–2.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 1.8–2.1 × 1.1–1.3 mm;

keel detaching from stamen column after anthesis, connate by overlapping margins, blades 2.6–2.9 × 1.5–1.8 mm.

usually bicolored, rarely all white, banner whitish with yellowish eye, reddish in age, epistemonous petals vivid pink-purple; papilionaceous;

banner 5.1–6.2 mm, blade ovate-cordate, 3.2–4.2 × 3.4–4.6 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 4.3–5.2 × 2.7–3 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades (5–)5.3–6.5 × 3.3–3.9 mm.

Calyces

± symmetric, (5.8–)6.1–8.2 mm, pilose;

tube (2.5–)2.7–3.3 mm, with (3 or)4–7 glands between ribs, lobes triangular or triangular-aristate.

subsymmetric, 3.8–4.2 mm, glabrous;

tube 2.6–3.2(–3.5) mm, usually with 3–5(–7) glands between ribs, lobes broadly triangular to triangular-acuminate, unequal, abaxial longest.

Legumes

2.4–3 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands.

2.8–3.5 mm, glabrous or distally pilosulous, dotted with small glands distally.

Seeds

1.8–2.2 mm.

1.7–2.3 mm.

Annual

herbs, prostrate or decumbent, ± pilose or pilosulous.

Principal

leaves 2–4 cm;

leaflets 9–15, blades cuneate-obovate, 3–9(–10) mm, margins undulate-crenate.

leaves 1–2 cm;

leaflets 9–19(or 21), blades obovate to broadly oblanceolate, 1.5–3.5(–5) mm.

= 16.

= 14.

Dalea frutescens

Phenology

Flowering early spring(–fall, winter).

Flowering late summer–fall (spring).

Habitat

Sandy or rocky desert slopes, flats, roadsides.

Rocky ground, desert grasslands, scrub, open juniper or oak woodlands, often on limestone.

Elevation

0–900 m. (0–3000 ft.)

200–2300 m. (700–7500 ft.)

Distribution

AZ; CA; NV; TX; Mexico (Baja California)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

NM; OK; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Although Dalea mollissima normally blooms early in the spring, with adequate summer moisture it germinates in fall and winters over, so that individual plants can be large and may be mistaken as perennial. It resembles D. mollis, with which it overlaps in range, and may be collected with that species. Cuneate-obovate and undulate-margined leaves of D. mollissima resemble those of D. neomexicana, leading to further confusion among herbarium specimens. In California, D. mollissima is known only from the desert regions in the southeastern part of the state.

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

Dalea frutescens is reported to be palatable for livestock and to decline under grazing pressure. In Texas, the species is widespread away from the coastal areas and generally from the Edwards Plateau westward to the trans-Pecos region.

(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. mollis, 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. 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

Parosela mollissima

Name authority

(Rydberg) Munz: Aliso 4: 93. (1958)

A. Gray: Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6: 175. (1850)

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 mollissima

Dalea frutescens

Dalea mollissima

Dalea frutescens