Common names:
Downy prairie clover, New Mexico dalea
Family:
Scientific name:
Dalea neomexicana
Main flower color:
Range:
South Arizona, south New Mexico and west Texas
Height:
Up to 8 inches
Habitat:
Grassland, rocky slopes, washes, often on limestone soils; from 1,000 to 6,000 feet
Leaves:
Up to 2 inches long, pinnately divided; between 7 and 15 leaflets, obovate, cuneate or elliptic
Season:
March to August
The reddish stems of dalea neomexicana, a perennial species, are covered by small, glandular pimples, and are spreading, along the ground; plants are just a few inches high. The silky hairy leaves are divided into between three and seven pairs of leaflets, plus a terminal leaflet, all approximately equal in size. Leaflet margins are (usually) lined by shallow, wavy teeth. Leaflets are partly folded up along the midvein.
Flowers are in small, dense clusters, and are attached by short stalks. Petals are pale creamy white, the banner petal often tinged pink or violet. The pale yellow calyces are densely covered by long, straight, white hairs.
Two varieties are var longipila, Texas only, which has leaflets widest in the middle, with entire margins, and the more widespread var neomexicana, which has leaflets widest above the middle, and toothed margins.
Flowers are in small, dense clusters, and are attached by short stalks. Petals are pale creamy white, the banner petal often tinged pink or violet. The pale yellow calyces are densely covered by long, straight, white hairs.
Two varieties are var longipila, Texas only, which has leaflets widest in the middle, with entire margins, and the more widespread var neomexicana, which has leaflets widest above the middle, and toothed margins.
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