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Santa Catalina prairie-clover

woollyhead prairie clover

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

5–10 dm, verruculose distally.

0.3–0.8 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, densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, 15–20 mm diam.;

axis not visible, 0.7–3(–3.5) cm;

bracts persistent through anthesis, 6–9 mm.

Peduncles

0–1 cm.

absent.

Stamens

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

10, 10–11 mm, filaments distinct to 1.2–1.6 mm, anthers 0.5–0.6 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, reddish brown in age; papilionaceous;

banner 7–8.2 mm, blade reniform, 1.8–2.4 × 1.9–2.8 mm; epistemonous petals attached distal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 2.4–2.7 × 1.2–1.4 mm;

keel connate valvately, blades 3.2–4 × 1.6–2 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, 7.8–8.7 mm, densely pilose;

tube 2.5–2.9 mm, with 2 or 3 small glands between ribs, lobes triangular-aristate, becoming plumose.

Legumes

2.5–3 mm, densely pubescent distally, eglandular.

± 2.5 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 (1–)1.5–3.5 cm;

leaflets 3, blades rhombic-ovate to elliptic-oblanceolate, 5–18 mm, surfaces apparently eglandular.

Perennial

herbs, erect to ascending, silvery-pilose.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Dalea pulchra

Dalea laniceps

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly or rocky grass­lands, open oak, juniper, or pine woodlands, desert scrub. Rocky slopes and hills, deserts, grasslands, open pine woods.
Elevation 900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.) 900–2500 m. (3000–8200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas)
[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.)

In the flora area, Dalea laniceps is limited to the southeastern area of trans-Pecos Texas.

(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. jamesii, D. lachnostachys, D. lanata, 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
Name authority Gentry: Madroño 10: 227, plate 14. (1950) Barneby: SouthW. Naturalist 15: 390. (1971)
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