Scientific Family
Fabaceae
Synonyms
Petalostemon candidum
Other common names
slender white prairie clover
prairie clover
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Similar species
Dalea albiflora
Height
To 3 feet
Riparian
No
Delicately scented, white-flowered perennial, mostly hairless compound leaves, stems, and flowers, and dense cylindric spikes of small white flowers. Stems arise from a taproot that can extend 5 feet into the ground.
Stems slender, 8 to 10; smooth bright green leaves are compound with narrow leaflets; bilaterally symmetrical white flowers are in cylinder-like spikes and have 5 stamens. D. albiflora has 10 stamens.
Habitat
Grasslands, woodlands, openings in pine forest, and roadsides.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Grasslands
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
3000
High elevation
8000
Flower Characteristics
Densely packed 1/4 inch white flowers form a 2-1/2 inches long spike. Each flower has 5 petals and 5 stamens. Flowers first open at the bottom of the spike and progress upward toward the tip.
Flower color
White
Flower shape
Irregular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
September
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
The leaves are 3/4 inch to 2-1/2 inches long and divided into 5, 7 or 9 leaflets. The narrow leaflets are 3/8 inch to 1-1/8 inches long. There are minute glandular dots on the lower surface of the leaflets.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Pod approximately 1/8 inch long containing 1 seed.
Fruit type
Pod
Fruit color
Green
The seed is greenish-brown, kidney shaped and about 1/16 inch long.