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Dalea brachystachya - Fort Bowie prairie clover

Scientific Family
Fabaceae
Synonyms
Dalea lemmonii, Parosela brachystachys
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Biennial or annual
Height
8 to 12 inches
Riparian
Yes
Aromatic, ascending herb that is much branched from the base.
Gland dotted with odd-pinnate leaves and inconspicuous stipules and dense inflorescence makes this a Dalea. Mostly annual plants with yellow flowers distinguishes this from other Dalea sp. in our area.

Habitat

Rolling slopes, rocky soil, woodlands and meadows, primarily below ponderosa and above saguaro cactus.
Plant Community
Riparian
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Disturbed Areas
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
3500
High elevation
6500

Flower Characteristics

Pea-shaped flowers with persistent floral bracts that are conspicuously gland dotted. Flower clusters are dense and somewhat elongated.
Flower color
Yellow
Flower shape
Irregular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
September
Last bloom month
October
Flower clusters
Elongated

Leaf and Stem Characteristics

The leaves are pinnately compound with an odd number of narrow leaflets. The leaflets are gland dotted underneath.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green with darker margins
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaf attachment
Alternate
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No