Scientific Family
Fabaceae
Synonyms
Acacia cooleyi, Desmanthus jamesii var. fendleri
Other common names
Cooley's Bundle-Flower
bundleflower
james bundleflower
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Similar species
Calliandra humilus
Height
8 to 20 inches
Riparian
No
Perennial herb or subshrub (somewhat shrubby). Plants with angled stems that are spreading to ascending; without hairs or minutely hairy; leaves twice pinnately compound. Flower clusters round.
Round and stemmed flower clusters in leaf axils; bipinnate leaves, with 4 to 10 branches of 8 to 15 pairs of leaflets. A small crater-like gland between the lowest pinnae of a leaf distinguish this species from Calliandra humilis.
Habitat
Found in dry slopes, mesas and plains.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
3500
High elevation
7500
Flower Characteristics
Sessile, round clusters in axillary inflorescence on stems >3/4 inch long, heads several to many-flowered; calyx (sepals) >1/16 inch long with short lobes, corolla (petals) to 1/8 inch long, with 10 showy stamens.
Flower color
Whitish to pinkish
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
September
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Stems spreading to ascending, 8 to 20 inches long. Leaves bipinnate with 2 to 5 pairs of branches with 8 to 15 pairs of oblong or narrow leaflets 1/16 to 1/4 inch long, leaflets attach at an angle, are pointed at their tips and hairy when young.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Pods solitary or few, 1 to 2-3/4 inches long, 1/8 inch wide; slender, elongate and linear or nearly so.
Fruit type
Pod
Fruit color
Green
Pods several seeded.