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Albuquerque prairie clover

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

Stems

2–7 dm, glandular-tuberculate.

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

Inflorescences

spikes, relatively loosely flowered, not involucrate, 9–11 mm diam.;

axis often partially visible at anthesis, 1.5–9(–13) cm;

bracts early deciduous, 2.5–5 mm.

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.

Peduncles

0.5–5 cm.

1–11 cm.

Stamens

5, 8.5–9.8 mm, filaments distinct to 5–5.4 mm, anthers 0.7–1.1 mm.

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

Corollas

pale pink to rose-purple;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 7.2–8 mm, blade suborbiculate-cordate, 4–4.5 × 1–4.5 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 3.7–4 × 1.8–2.2 mm, laterals often wider than abaxials.

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.

Calyces

asymmetric, recessed opposite banner, 4–5.8 mm, glabrous;

tube 3–3.8 mm, green intervals each with a single row (or adaxial pair with 2 or 3 rows) of 3–5 blister glands, lobes subulate or adaxial pair triangular to triangular-apiculate.

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.

Legumes

3.2–4 mm, glabrate, slightly ciliate distally and at proximal end of style, gland-dotted.

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

Seeds

2.3–3 mm.

2–2.4 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescences.

herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescence.

Principal

leaves 1–2.5 cm;

leaflets (5 or) 7 or 9, blades obovate-cuneate, 3–8 mm.

leaves 2.5–5.5(–6.5) cm;

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

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Dalea scariosa

Dalea ornata

Phenology Flowering summer(–early fall). Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Sandy or limey soils, grasslands, sometimes with mesquite or juniper. Rocky, sandy, or clay soils in dry areas, often among sagebrush.
Elevation 1400–1600 m. (4600–5200 ft.) 100–2000 m. (300–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dalea scariosa is a geographically restricted and beautiful plant that is known only from locations near Alburquerque and Belen. It appears to be related to two other rare taxa, D. bartonii and D. sabinalis.

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

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.)

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. pulchra, D. purpurea, D. reverchonii, D. sabinalis, D. scandens, 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. 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 Petalostemon ornatus
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 17: 369. (1882) (Douglas) Eaton & Wright: Man. Bot. ed. 8, 219. (1840) — (as ornatum)
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