Dalea foliosa
Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 245. 1977.
Perennial herbs, erect, glabrous proximal to inflorescences. Stems 3–8 dm, eglandular. Principal leaves 3–5.5 cm; leaflets 19–29(or 31), blades oblong-oblanceolate to -elliptic, 5–10 mm. Peduncles 0–2 cm. Inflorescences spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, 8–10 mm diam.; axis not visible, 1.5–4.5 cm; bracts persistent through anthesis, 4.8–5.4 mm. Calyces subsymmetric, 3.8–4.4 mm, glabrous or lobes sometimes pilosulous; tube 2.4–2.7 mm, with 0 glands between ribs, lobes triangular-lanceolate or adaxial pair ovate-triangular. Corollas lavender-purple; not conventionally papilionaceous; banner 5.2–6 mm, blade ovate to suborbiculate, 2.1–2.5 × 2.6–3.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 2.7–3 × 0.8–1 mm. Stamens 5, 5.4–7.2 mm, filaments distinct to 2.7–3.7 mm, anthers 0.6–0.9 mm. Legumes 2.5–3 mm, glabrous, dotted with small glands distally. Seeds 1.8–2 mm. 2n = 14.
Phenology: Flowering late summer–fall.
Habitat: Limestone glades, prairie remnants.
Elevation: 100–300 m.
Distribution
Ala., Ill., Tenn.
Discussion
Dalea foliosa is rare and in 1991 was designated federally as endangered. At that time, there were 14 known populations, only four of which had state or Nature Conservancy protection. The species is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.
Selected References
None.