FNA: Dalea searlsiae vs. Dalea mollissima

	Dalea searlsiae	Dalea mollissima
	Searls' prairie clover	downy dalea, silky dalea, soft prairie clover
Stems	(2.5–)3–5.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.	0.5–3.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.
Inflorescences	spikes, relatively densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, (8–)9–11 mm diam.; axis partially visible at anthesis, (1.5–)2–9(–14) cm; bracts deciduous, 3–5(–6) mm.	racemes, spikelike, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)13–16(–17) mm diam.; axis not visible, 1.5–7.5 cm; bracts deciduous, 4.5–7 mm.
Peduncles	(2.5–)4–16(–20) cm.	0.2–2.5(–4.5) cm.
Stamens	5, 5.5–8.5 mm, filaments distinct to 3–5.1 mm, anthers 1.1–1.5 mm.	10, 4.3–5 mm, filaments distinct to 1 mm, anthers 0.4–0.5 mm.
Corollas	usually rose-purple, rarely white; not conventionally papilionaceous; banner 5.3–7.2 mm, blade ovate to ovate-triangular or -oblong, 2.8–3.7 × 2.2–3.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades (2.7–)3–4.1 × (0.9–)1.1–1.6 mm.	whitish, banner sometimes lilac-tinged, keel tip sometimes lilac-tinged; papilionaceous; banner 2.8–3.7 mm, blade broadly triangular to suborbiculate-cordate, (1.6–)1.8–2.2 × (1.4–)1.7–2.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube; wings 1.8–2.1 × 1.1–1.3 mm; keel detaching from stamen column after anthesis, connate by overlapping margins, blades 2.6–2.9 × 1.5–1.8 mm.
Calyces	asymmetric, deeply recessed opposite banner, opening oblique, (3.2–)3.5–4.6(–4.8) mm, glabrous or pilosulous proximally, pilosulous distally; tube 2–2.8 mm, with (0 or)2–4 small, pale blister glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-subulate or adaxial pair triangular-ovate.	± symmetric, (5.8–)6.1–8.2 mm, pilose; tube (2.5–)2.7–3.3 mm, with (3 or)4–7 glands between ribs, lobes triangular or triangular-aristate.
Legumes	3.2–4 mm, pilosulous to ± glabrous distally and gland-dotted.	2.4–3 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands.
Seeds	2–2.8 mm.	1.8–2.2 mm.
Perennial	herbs, erect, pilosulous throughout or glabrous proximal to inflorescence.
Principal	leaves 2–5.5 cm; leaflets 5 or 7(or 9), blades flat or folded, oblanceolate to obovate, 7–20 mm, surfaces glandular-tuberculate abaxially.	leaves 2–4 cm; leaflets 9–15, blades cuneate-obovate, 3–9(–10) mm, margins undulate-crenate.
Annual		herbs, prostrate or decumbent, ± pilose or pilosulous.
2n		= 16.

	Dalea searlsiae	Dalea mollissima
Phenology	Flowering spring–summer.	Flowering early spring(–fall, winter).
Habitat	Rocky or sandy slopes or washes, among pine, juniper, or oak, sometimes in desert scrub.	Sandy or rocky desert slopes, flats, roadsides.
Elevation	1100–2000 m. (3600–6600 ft.)	0–900 m. (0–3000 ft.)
Distribution	AZ; CA; NV; UT [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	AZ; CA; NV; TX; Mexico (Baja California) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	The ranges of Dalea searlsiae and D. flavescens overlap only in a small area of south-central Utah and north-central Arizona. In California, D. searlsiae is known from the Inyo and White mountains and other desert mountains in the southeastern part of the state. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Although Dalea mollissima normally blooms early in the spring, with adequate summer moisture it germinates in fall and winters over, so that individual plants can be large and may be mistaken as perennial. It resembles D. mollis, with which it overlaps in range, and may be collected with that species. Cuneate-obovate and undulate-margined leaves of D. mollissima resemble those of D. neomexicana, leading to further confusion among herbarium specimens. In California, D. mollissima is known only from the desert regions in the southeastern part of the state. (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. scariosa, 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. 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	Petalostemon searlsiae	Parosela mollissima
Name authority	(A. Gray) Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 234. (1977)	(Rydberg) Munz: Aliso 4: 93. (1958)
Web links	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Dalea mollissima

Searls' prairie clover

downy dalea, silky dalea, soft prairie clover

Stems

(2.5–)3–5.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.

0.5–3.5 dm, glandular-tuberculate.

Inflorescences

spikes, relatively densely flowered, not obviously involucrate, (8–)9–11 mm diam.;

axis partially visible at anthesis, (1.5–)2–9(–14) cm;

bracts deciduous, 3–5(–6) mm.

racemes, spikelike, densely flowered, not involucrate, (12–)13–16(–17) mm diam.;

axis not visible, 1.5–7.5 cm;

bracts deciduous, 4.5–7 mm.

Peduncles

(2.5–)4–16(–20) cm.

0.2–2.5(–4.5) cm.

Stamens

5, 5.5–8.5 mm, filaments distinct to 3–5.1 mm, anthers 1.1–1.5 mm.

10, 4.3–5 mm, filaments distinct to 1 mm, anthers 0.4–0.5 mm.

Corollas

usually rose-purple, rarely white;

not conventionally papilionaceous;

banner 5.3–7.2 mm, blade ovate to ovate-triangular or -oblong, 2.8–3.7 × 2.2–3.4 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades (2.7–)3–4.1 × (0.9–)1.1–1.6 mm.

whitish, banner sometimes lilac-tinged, keel tip sometimes lilac-tinged; papilionaceous;

banner 2.8–3.7 mm, blade broadly triangular to suborbiculate-cordate, (1.6–)1.8–2.2 × (1.4–)1.7–2.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached proximal to middle of stamen tube;

wings 1.8–2.1 × 1.1–1.3 mm;

keel detaching from stamen column after anthesis, connate by overlapping margins, blades 2.6–2.9 × 1.5–1.8 mm.

Calyces

asymmetric, deeply recessed opposite banner, opening oblique, (3.2–)3.5–4.6(–4.8) mm, glabrous or pilosulous proximally, pilosulous distally;

tube 2–2.8 mm, with (0 or)2–4 small, pale blister glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate-subulate or adaxial pair triangular-ovate.

± symmetric, (5.8–)6.1–8.2 mm, pilose;

tube (2.5–)2.7–3.3 mm, with (3 or)4–7 glands between ribs, lobes triangular or triangular-aristate.

Legumes

3.2–4 mm, pilosulous to ± glabrous distally and gland-dotted.

2.4–3 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands.

Seeds

2–2.8 mm.

1.8–2.2 mm.

Perennial

herbs, erect, pilosulous throughout or glabrous proximal to inflorescence.

Principal

leaves 2–5.5 cm;

leaflets 5 or 7(or 9), blades flat or folded, oblanceolate to obovate, 7–20 mm, surfaces glandular-tuberculate abaxially.

leaves 2–4 cm;

leaflets 9–15, blades cuneate-obovate, 3–9(–10) mm, margins undulate-crenate.

Annual

herbs, prostrate or decumbent, ± pilose or pilosulous.

= 16.

Dalea mollissima

Phenology

Flowering spring–summer.

Flowering early spring(–fall, winter).

Habitat

Rocky or sandy slopes or washes, among pine, juniper, or oak, sometimes in desert scrub.

Sandy or rocky desert slopes, flats, roadsides.

Elevation

1100–2000 m. (3600–6600 ft.)

0–900 m. (0–3000 ft.)

Distribution

AZ; CA; NV; UT

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

AZ; CA; NV; TX; Mexico (Baja California)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

The ranges of Dalea searlsiae and D. flavescens overlap only in a small area of south-central Utah and north-central Arizona. In California, D. searlsiae is known from the Inyo and White mountains and other desert mountains in the southeastern part of the state.

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

Although Dalea mollissima normally blooms early in the spring, with adequate summer moisture it germinates in fall and winters over, so that individual plants can be large and may be mistaken as perennial. It resembles D. mollis, with which it overlaps in range, and may be collected with that species. Cuneate-obovate and undulate-margined leaves of D. mollissima resemble those of D. neomexicana, leading to further confusion among herbarium specimens. In California, D. mollissima is known only from the desert regions in the southeastern part of the state.

(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. pulchra, D. purpurea, D. reverchonii, D. sabinalis, D. scandens, D. scariosa, 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. 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

Petalostemon searlsiae

Parosela mollissima

Name authority

(A. Gray) Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 234. (1977)

(Rydberg) Munz: Aliso 4: 93. (1958)

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).

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Dalea searlsiae

Dalea mollissima

Dalea searlsiae

Dalea mollissima