FNA: Dalea pulchra vs. Dalea jamesii

	Dalea pulchra	Dalea jamesii
	Santa Catalina prairie-clover	James' dalea, James' prairie clover
Habit	Shrubs, relatively erect, stiffly-branching, silky- or velvety-pubescent distally.
Stems	5–10 dm, verruculose distally.	0.4–1.7(–2) dm, eglandular.
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, relatively densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, (16–)18–23(–25) mm diam.; axis not to partially visible, 1.5–6.5(–8) cm; bracts deciduous at anthesis, (4–)5–8(–9) mm.
Peduncles	0–1 cm.	absent or very short.
Stamens	10, 7.5–9 mm, filaments distinct to 1.8–2.8 mm, anthers 0.6–0.7 mm.	10, (9.5–)10–11.7 mm, filaments distinct to 1.7–3 mm, anthers (0.8–)0.9–1.2 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.	clear yellow, orangish brown in age; papilionaceous; banner 5.2–6.2 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 3.2–4.2 × 3.2–4.4 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube; wings 3.9–5.1 × 2.3–3.2 mm; keel connate valvately, blades 5.3–6.3 × 3.2–3.8 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.	somewhat asymmetric, slightly recessed opposite banner, (8.3–)8.5–12(–13.3) mm, pilose; tube (2.4–)2.8–3.5 mm, with 3 or 4 small glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate.
Legumes	2.5–3 mm, densely pubescent distally, eglandular.	3.5–4 mm, distally with 2 rows of ascending hairs on either side of a glabrescent row, eglandular.
Seeds	1.5–1.8 mm.	2.3–3 mm.
Principal	leaves 0.5–1.5 cm; leaflets 5 or 7(or 9), blades obovate to oblanceolate, 1.5–5 mm.	leaves (0.6–)1–3(–4) cm; leaflets 3, blades obovate to broadly oblanceolate, (3–)5–18 mm, surfaces apparently eglandular.
Perennial		herbs, erect to ascending, silky-pilose to -pilosulous.
2n	= 14.	= 14.

	Dalea pulchra	Dalea jamesii
Phenology	Flowering spring.	Flowering spring–early summer (fall).
Habitat	Sandy to gravelly or rocky grasslands, open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands, desert scrub.	Rocky grasslands, deserts, open pine or juniper woodlands.
Elevation	900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.)	900–2100 m. (3000–6900 ft.)
Distribution	AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	AZ; CO; KS; NM; OK; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua) [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 jamesii occurs from far southwestern Kansas to southeastern Arizona. In Texas, the species occurs in the northern panhandle and trans-Pecos regions. (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. 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. 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		Psoralea jamesii
Name authority	Gentry: Madroño 10: 227, plate 14. (1950)	(Torrey) Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 308. (1838)
Web links	WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local Web sites: KS Wildflowers WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Dalea jamesii

Santa Catalina prairie-clover

James' dalea, James' prairie clover

Habit

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

Stems

5–10 dm, verruculose distally.

0.4–1.7(–2) dm, eglandular.

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, relatively densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, (16–)18–23(–25) mm diam.;

axis not to partially visible, 1.5–6.5(–8) cm;

bracts deciduous at anthesis, (4–)5–8(–9) mm.

Peduncles

0–1 cm.

absent or very short.

Stamens

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

10, (9.5–)10–11.7 mm, filaments distinct to 1.7–3 mm, anthers (0.8–)0.9–1.2 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.

clear yellow, orangish brown in age; papilionaceous;

banner 5.2–6.2 mm, blade deltate-cordate, 3.2–4.2 × 3.2–4.4 mm, proximal lobes connate, forming obconic pit; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 3.9–5.1 × 2.3–3.2 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades 5.3–6.3 × 3.2–3.8 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.

somewhat asymmetric, slightly recessed opposite banner, (8.3–)8.5–12(–13.3) mm, pilose;

tube (2.4–)2.8–3.5 mm, with 3 or 4 small glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate.

Legumes

2.5–3 mm, densely pubescent distally, eglandular.

3.5–4 mm, distally with 2 rows of ascending hairs on either side of a glabrescent row, eglandular.

Seeds

1.5–1.8 mm.

2.3–3 mm.

Principal

leaves 0.5–1.5 cm;

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

leaves (0.6–)1–3(–4) cm;

leaflets 3, blades obovate to broadly oblanceolate, (3–)5–18 mm, surfaces apparently eglandular.

Perennial

herbs, erect to ascending, silky-pilose to -pilosulous.

= 14.

Dalea pulchra

Dalea jamesii

Phenology

Flowering spring.

Flowering spring–early summer (fall).

Habitat

Sandy to gravelly or rocky grasslands, open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands, desert scrub.

Rocky grasslands, deserts, open pine or juniper woodlands.

Elevation

900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.)

900–2100 m. (3000–6900 ft.)

Distribution

AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

AZ; CO; KS; NM; OK; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua)

[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 jamesii occurs from far southwestern Kansas to southeastern Arizona. In Texas, the species occurs in the northern panhandle and trans-Pecos regions.

(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. 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. 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. 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

Psoralea jamesii

Name authority

Gentry: Madroño 10: 227, plate 14. (1950)

(Torrey) Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 308. (1838)

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).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America

The species comparison tool is brought to you by:

Flora of North America species comparison

Dalea pulchra

Dalea jamesii

Dalea pulchra

Dalea jamesii