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Blue Mountain prairie-clover, ornate dalea, western prairie clover

pinkglobe prairie clover

Stems

(2–)2.5–6(–7) dm, dotted with small, raised glands.

1.5–4(–5) dm, sparsely glandular-punctate.

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, 13–16 mm diam.;

axis not visible, (1–)1.5–5 cm;

bracts deciduous, interfloral ones often held in place by crowded flowers, (3–)4–7.5(–8.5) mm.

spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, 7–12 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.5–2.5 cm;

bracts persistent through anthesis, 1.5–4.5 mm.

Peduncles

1–11 cm.

2.5–18 cm.

Stamens

5, (7.3–)7.7–12 mm, filaments distinct to (3.6–)4.7–7.6 mm, anthers 1–1.4 mm.

5, 6–8.5 mm, filaments distinct to 2.5–4.8 mm, anthers 0.8–1 mm.

Corollas

usually rose-purple to lilac, rarely white;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 7–9 mm, blade ovate to oblong-ovate, 3.3–4.5 × (2–)2.3–4 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades (3.3–)3.5–5 × 1.4–2 mm.

pink;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 4.6–5.8 mm, blade ovate, 2.2–2.5 × 1.5–2.8 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 2.7–3.1 ×1–1.3 mm.

Calyces

subsymmetric, (3.6–)3.9–6.3(–6.7) mm, pilose throughout or distally;

tube (2.4–)2.7–3.6(–3.8) mm, with 2–9 small glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate to ovate.

subsymmetric, 3–5.2 mm, silky-pilosulous, base with subappressed and retrorse hairs;

tube 2–3.1 mm, with 0 glands between ribs, lobes subulate or adaxial pair triangular-ovate.

Legumes

3–3.5 mm, pilosulous distally and gland-dotted.

3.6 mm, glabrous or apically pilosulous, eglandular.

Seeds

2–2.4 mm.

apparently unknown.

Perennial

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescence.

herbs, erect, glabrous or sparsely pilosulous.

Principal

leaves 2.5–5.5(–6.5) cm;

leaflets 5 or 7 (or 9), blades oblanceolate to obovate, 7–22 mm.

leaves 1.5–3.5 cm;

leaflets 3 or 5, blades linear, 6–15 mm.

2n

= 14.

Dalea ornata

Dalea tenuis

Phenology Flowering spring–early summer. Flowering late spring–early summer (fall).
Habitat Rocky, sandy, or clay soils in dry areas, often among sagebrush. Rocky limestone soils.
Elevation 100–2000 m. (300–6600 ft.) 200–600 m. (700–2000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OK; TX
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dalea ornata is nearly endemic to the Columbia-Snake river basin. In California, the species is known only from the Shaffer Mountain region in Lassen County.

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

Dalea tenuis is largely a species of central Texas occurring as far east as McLennan County and south to Bandera County.

(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. obovata, 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. pulchra, D. purpurea, D. reverchonii, D. sabinalis, D. scandens, D. scariosa, D. searlsiae, D. tentaculoides, D. tenuifolia, D. urceolata, D. versicolor, D. villosa, D. wrightii
Synonyms Petalostemon ornatus Petalostemon violaceus var. tenuis, P. tenuis
Name authority (Douglas) Eaton & Wright: Man. Bot. ed. 8, 219. (1840) — (as ornatum) (J. M. Coulter) Shinners: Field & Lab. 17: 84. (1949)
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