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Santa Catalina prairie-clover

bigtop dalea, nine-anther dalea, nineanther prairie clover

Habit Shrubs, relatively erect, stiffly-branching, silky- or velvety-pubescent distally.
Stems

5–10 dm, verruculose distally.

(5–)6–12 dm, eglandular or sparsely glandular-punctate.

Inflorescences

spikes, densely flowered, obviously involucrate (proximalmost several whorls of bracts subtending rudimentary buds), 11.5–16 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.4–0.7 cm;

bracts deciduous, interfloral ones sometimes held in place by crowded flowers, 2–6.5 mm.

spikes, remotely flowered, most flowers separated by distinct intervals, not involucrate, 7–10 mm diam.;

axis visible, (1–)2.5–12 cm;

bracts persistent, enfolding and falling with fruit, 3–4.2 mm.

Peduncles

0–1 cm.

0.5–3.5(–5.5) cm.

Stamens

10, 7.5–9 mm, filaments distinct to 1.8–2.8 mm, anthers 0.6–0.7 mm.

9, 6.3–9.4 mm, filaments distinct to 2.2–3.5 mm, anthers 0.8–1.2 mm.

Corollas

bicolored, banner cream, reddish in age, epistemonous petals pink-purple; papilionaceous;

banner 6–7.5 mm, blade ovate- or deltate-cordate, 2.8–4.2 × 3.4–4.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 4.1–5 × 2–2.6 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades 5.2–6.8 × 3–3.5 mm.

white; papilionaceous;

banner 5.7–7 mm, blade broadly ovate, 3.6–4 × 3.2–4.2 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 2.7–3.4 × 1.4–2 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades (4.5–)4.8–5.8 × 2.6–3 mm.

Calyces

asymmetric, recessed opposite banner, (4.5–)4.8–7.2 mm, densely pilose;

tube 2.4–3.4 mm, hyaline intervals usually with row of inconspicuous blister glands between ribs (or eglandular), lobes triangular-aristate, spurred laterally near proximal end, unequal, abaxial longest.

± asymmetric, opening oblique, 6.2–7.6 mm, silky-pilosulous;

tube 3–3.5(–3.7) mm, with 3 or 4 inconspicuous glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate, becoming plumose.

Legumes

2.5–3 mm, densely pubescent distally, eglandular.

3–3.7 mm, pilosulous and, sometimes, gland-dotted distally.

Seeds

1.5–1.8 mm.

2.4–2.8 mm.

Principal

leaves 0.5–1.5 cm;

leaflets 5 or 7(or 9), blades obovate to oblanceolate, 1.5–5 mm.

leaves 1.3–2.6 cm;

leaflets (3–)7–11(or 13), blades narrowly oblanceolate or elliptic, 4–11(–12) mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Dalea pulchra

Dalea enneandra

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly or rocky grass­lands, open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands, desert scrub. Plains, prairies, many substrates.
Elevation 900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.) 30–1400 m. (100–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; IA; IL; KS; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants of Dalea pulchra are attractive in flower. The spikes shatter quickly at anthesis; legumes and seeds are seldom seen.

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

Dalea enneandra is native to the Great Plains and as far east as the Texas coast and the loess hill prairies of western Iowa and northwestern Missouri. It is naturalized in DuPage County, Illinois. Its persistent calyx aids in wind dispersal of fruit.

(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. ornata, D. phleoides, D. pinnata, D. pogonathera, D. polygonoides, D. pringlei, 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. 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
Synonyms Parosela enneandra
Name authority Gentry: Madroño 10: 227, plate 14. (1950) Nuttall: Cat. Pl. Upper Louisiana, no. 30. (1813)
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