Flora of North America species comparison

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Dalea obovata

Dalea multiflora

pussyfoot

roundhead prairie clover
Stems

to 5.5 dm, sparsely dotted with small, raised glands.

3–8 dm, glandular-punctate.
Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)14–20 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 3.5–11 cm;

bracts early deciduous, interfloral ones often held in place by crowded flowers, 5.5–11 mm.

spikes, densely flowered, nearly globose, inconspicuously involucrate (lowest bracts not subtending flowers), 7–9 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.4–1(–1.2) cm;

bracts early deciduous or proximals persistent, interfloral ones held in place by crowded flowers, 2–2.4 mm.
Peduncles

0–3(–10) cm.

(0–)0.5–3(–7) cm.
Stamens

5, (4.5–)5–6.6 mm, filaments distinct to 1–2.2 mm, anthers 0.6–0.8 mm.

5, (5–)5.2–7.6 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–4.5 mm, anthers 0.7–1.2 mm.
Corollas

white, ochroleucous in drying;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner (3.5–)4–7 mm, blade ovate-oblong, (2–)2.2–2.9(–3.1) × 1.2–2 mm; epistemonous petals attached at or just proximal to separation of filaments, blades 2–3.2 × 0.5–0.9 mm.

white;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner (4–)4.2–5.7 mm, blade deltate-obovate, 2.3–3.4 × 2.4–3.7(–4.2) mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 2.3–3.5 × 1.5–2.1 mm.
Calyces

± asymmetric, slightly recessed opposite banner, 3.3–5.8 mm, pilose;

tube (1.3–)1.4–2.1 mm, with 1 or 2 small glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate.

subsymmetric, (2.9–)3–4.2(–4.4) mm, glabrous, lobes ciliolate;

tube 1.6–2.6 mm, not deeply recessed opposite banner, with 1(–3) small blister glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate to triangular, ± unequal, abaxial pair longest.
Legumes

2.7–3 mm, pilosulous distally, eglandular.

2.5–3 mm, glabrate, with ± prominent elongated glands on sides.
Seeds

1.7 mm.

1.6–2 mm.
Perennial

herbs, short-lived, erect, ± lanate-pilose.

herbs, erect to spreading, glabrous.
Principal

leaves (2–)2.5–5 cm;

leaflets 7–11, blades obovate, (8–)10–16 mm, surfaces eglandular.

leaves 2–3 cm;

leaflets (7 or)9 or 11(or 13), blades oblong to elliptic-oblanceolate, or linear-oblong, 7–13 mm.

Dalea obovata

Dalea multiflora
Phenology Flowering spring (fall–early winter). Flowering late spring–early fall.
Habitat Sandy, open ground on and near Gulf Coastal Plain. Prairies, rocky hills.
Elevation 0–400 m. (0–1300 ft.) 0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; KS; MO; NE; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dalea obovata occurs in the southern coastal plain of Texas as far north and west as Frio, Medina, and Travis counties.

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

Dalea multiflora shows considerable geographic variation in stature. Its floral structure is similar to that of D. candida var. candida, and individuals intermediate between the two species occur (R. C. Barneby 1977c). In Texas, D. multiflora is known from the eastern two-thirds of the state.

(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. mollissima, D. multiflora, D. nana, D. neomexicana, 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. 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 Petalostemon obovatus Petalostemon multiflorus, Kuhnistera multiflora
Name authority (Torrey & A. Gray) Shinners: Field & Lab. 17: 84. (1949) (Nuttall) Shinners: Field & Lab. 17: 82. (1949)
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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