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summer farewell

summer farewell

Stems

finely glandular-tuberculate proximal to spikes.

(3–)4.5–9(–10) dm, finely to coarsely glandular-tuberculate proximal to inflorescences.

Leaflets

5–11(or 13), blades

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, appearing capitate, conspicuously involucrate, with several whorls of clearly differentiated sterile bracts proximal to spike, 6–13 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.6–1.2 cm;

bracts deciduous, basal involucral bracts persistent, becoming transitional to foliage leaves, 5–8 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

Stamens

5, 8.8–10.8 mm, filaments distinct to 4.2–5.5 mm, anthers 0.6–0.9 mm.

Corollas

white;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner (5–)5.4–8.6 mm, blade lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, proximally cuneate (subhastate), 2.7–4.3 × 0.6–1.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 3–5 × 0.5–1.4 mm.

Calyces

subsymmetric, slightly recessed opposite banner, 4.5–7.8(–8.2) mm, pilose;

tube (1.5–)1.7–2.3(–2.7) mm, with 0 glands between ribs, lobes linear, becoming plumose.

Legumes

2.5–3 mm, pilosulous distally, eglandular.

Seeds

1.7 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.

Principal

leaves 1–2.5 cm;

leaflets 3–11(or 13), blades linear or elliptic-oblanceolate, 5–11 mm.

Dalea pinnata var. pinnata

Dalea pinnata

Phenology Flowering fall–early winter.
Habitat Open, sandy pine and oak woods.
Elevation 0–150 m. (0–500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; NC; SC
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
se United States
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

usually involute, ± linear. Involucres 6–9 mm wide. Epistemonous petals (including claw) 3.7–4.5 mm. 2n = 14.

In Florida, var. pinnata is frequent in the northern counties of the central peninsula.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Dalea pinnata, with its headlike spikes and conspicuous involucres, resembles a member of the Asteraceae. This resemblance is heightened after the petals drop because the slender, plumose calyx-lobes begin to resemble a pappus.

The varieties of Dalea pinnata have limited geographical overlap and var. pinnata is the most widespread.

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

Key
1. Leaflets 3.
var. trifoliata
1. Leaflets 5–11(or 13).
→ 2
2. Involucres: 6–9 mm wide; stems finely glandular-tuberculate proximal to spikes.
var. pinnata
2. Involucres 10–13 mm wide; stems coarsely glandular-tuberculate proximal to spikes.
var. adenopoda
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Dalea > Dalea pinnata Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Dalea
Sibling taxa
D. pinnata var. adenopoda, D. pinnata var. trifoliata
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. 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
Subordinate taxa
D. pinnata var. adenopoda, D. pinnata var. pinnata, D. pinnata var. trifoliata
Synonyms Kuhnia pinnata, Kuhnistera pinnata, Petalostemon pinnatus
Name authority unknown (J. F. Gmelin) Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 278. 1977 · Summer-farewell
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