1 Flowers of Dalea Type A (the corolla bilaterally symmetrical and papilionaceous, the 9-10 stamens enclosed in a keel, the wings and keel of standard papilionaceous conformation, arising laterally from the stamen column); leaflets 15-25; [native of TX, OK, and s. FL]; [subgenus Parosela].

  2 Shrubs; leaflets 7-23 per leaf; corollas either cream, fading purplish, or bicolored white and purple; [TX, OK, or s. FL]; [subgenus Parosela; section Parosela].

    3 Leaflets 1.5-4 mm long; corolla bicolored, the standard white, the epistemonous petals purple; shrubs to 5 (-10) dm tall

    3 Leaflets 5-15 mm long; corolla (all petals) initially cream, ‘fading’ to reddish or dull purple; shrubs 20 20 dm tall.

      4 Leaflets 15-23 per leaf; [s. FL]

      4 Leaflets 7-9 (-11) per leaf; [s. TX]

  2 Herbs, perennial or annual; leaflets 3-11 (-13) per leaf; [TX and OK].

        5 Leaflets 5-11 (-13) per leaf; corollas pink to magenta purple, or white with a green ‘eye’; [subgenus Parosela; section Psoropogon].

          6 Stems solitary or a few, erect to ascending, 5-10 dm tall; inflorescence loosely flowered, the axis readily visible; flowers white, with a green ‘eye’

          6 Stems clustered or branched at the base, decumbent to ascending, 0.5-3 dm long; inflorescence initially compact, the axis hidden (elongating and loosening later); flowers pink to violet- or magenta-purple.

             7 Calyx finely sericeous-pilose with hairs < 1 mm long

             7 Calyx long-pilose with hairs to 2 mm long

        5 Leaflets 3-5 (-7) per leaf; corollas yellow, sometimes ‘fading’ reddish; [subgenus Parosela; section Cylipogon].

               8 Leaflets 3 per leaf; leaflets 7-10× as long as wide

               8 Leaflets (3-) 5 (-7) per leaf; leaflets 1-5× as long as wide.

                 9 Corollas 10-15 mm long, not ‘fading’ reddish; stems generally unbranched; spikes 12-20 mm in diameter (not counting the petals).

                   10 Leaflets 2-4× as long as wide; vestiture of hairs < 1 mm long; floral bracts 3-6 mm long, ovate; [calcareous substrates, c. and s. TX]

                   10 Leaflets 1-2×as long as wide; vestiture of hairs 1-2 mm long; floral bracts (subtending each flower 6-8 mm long, lanceolate; [deep sands, s. TX]

                 9 Corollas 6-8 mm long, ‘fading’ reddish; stems branched; spikes 7-13 mm in diameter (not counting the petals).

                     11 Floral bracts (subtending each flower) ovate to elliptic, 2-4 mm wide; fruiting spikes usually 7-9 mm in diameter; [acid sands]

                     11 Floral bracts (subtending each flower) ovate to lanceolate, 1.5-2 mm wide; fruiting spikes usually 10-12 mm in diameter; [calcareous substrates]

1 Flowers of either Dalea Type B (the corolla nearly symmetrical, the petals arising laterally from the stamen column, the 9-10 stamens or staminodes exposed) or Dalea Type C (the corolla nearly symmetrical, the epistemonous petals arising from the summit of the stamen column, the 5 stamens exposed); collectively widespread]; [subgenus Dalea].

                       12 Corollas of Dalea Type B (the corolla nearly symmetrical, the petals arising laterally from the stamen column, the 9-10 stamens or staminodes exposed); stamens either 9-10, or 5 with alternating staminodes; [IL, w. MO, AR, and w. LA westward, and also rarely introduced eastwards].

                          13 Perennials, prostrate and mat-forming; corollas red-purple to magenta; leaflets 5-15; [subgenus Dalea; section Elaspora].

                            14 Leaflets mostly 2.5-4.0 mm long; blade of the banner petal < 2.5 mm long, pale purple; [s. TX]

                            14 Leaflets mostly 4.5-10 mm long; blade of the banner petal > 2.5 mm long, deeper purple; [AR, OK, KS, CO south to nw. LA, nnc. TX, to w. TX and se. NM]

                          13 Annuals, decumbent, ascending, or erect; leaflets 13-35; corollas whitish, blue-lavender, rose, or red-purple; [subgenus Dalea; section Dalea].

                              15 Corollas rose to red-purple; leaflets 13-17; inflorescence (excluding the exserted petals) 1.5-3.5× as long as thick

                              15 Corollas whitish to blue-lavender; leaflets 17-35; inflorescence (excluding the exserted petals) 3-8× as long as thick

                       12 Corollas of Dalea Type C (the corolla nearly symmetrical, the epistemonous petals arising from the summit of the stamen column, the 5 stamens exposed); [collectively widespread]; [subgenus Dalea, section Kuhnistera].

                                16 Spikes arrayed in a compound corymb; spike capitate, surrounded by an involucre of 3-4 series of sterile bracts.

                                  17 Leaflets elliptic to oblanceolate, 1.5-2 mm wide, 3-5× as long as wide; spikes 10-13 mm in diameter; leaflets 3 or 5; [of FL peninsula]

                                  17 Leaflets linear to filiform, < 1 mm wide, > 10× as long as wide; spikes 8-10 mm in diameter; leaflets 3-9 (-15); [of se. NC south to c. peninsular FL, west to e. LA].

                                    18 Leaflets 5-9 (-15); petals (other than the standard) mostly 3.7-4.5 mm long

                                    18 Leaflets 3; petals (other than the standard) mostly 4.8-6.8 mm long

                                16 Spikes not corymbosely disposed, ovoid to cylindric; spikes not capitate, with or without a few subtending, sterile bracts.

                                       19 Leaflets 11-41.

                                         20 Leaflets 25-41; corollas white; [sw. AR and e. TX westward]

                                         20 Leaflets 11-25; corollas white, purple, pink, or lavender.

                                           21 Calyx external surface densely pilose to cinerous; stems pilose; corollas purple to rose or pink; leaflets 3.5-6× as long as wide.

                                             22 Stems 5-8 dm long, erect; leaflets thinly pubescent, appearing glabrescent; [AR, w. LA, and e. TX]

                                             22 Stems to 5 dm long, prostrate, decumbent, or ascending; leaflets densely silvery villous or cinerous; [MO, e. OK, and c. TX westward and northward]

                                           21 Calyx external surface glabrous or glabrate (also ciliolate); stems glabrate or finely pubescent; corollas white, lavender, or purple; leaflets 2.5-4× as long as wide.

                                               23 Corollas lavender to purple; [east of the Mississippi River, n. AL, TN, and northward]

                                               23 Corollas white; [west of the Mississippi River, w. LA, se. OK, and e. TX]

                                                 24 Leaflets 3-7 mm long; calyces 2.5-3.0 mm long; [dry sands of the Carrizo Formation in se. TX]

                                                 24 Leaflets 6-14 mm long; calyces 3.0-3.5 mm long; [e. TX, nw. LA, se. OK]

                                       19 Leaflets 3-11.

                                                    25 Calyx glabrous (puberulent in D. oligophylla); bracteoles present, 0.5-1.5 mm long, bristle-like and tending to be persistent; stems glabrous.

                                                      26 Corollas pink to purple (rarely white); leaflets 7-9; [east of Mississippi in Coastal Plain of s. GA and FL].

                                                        27 Leaflets flat or folded, oblanceolate, 5-9× as long as wide

                                                        27 Leaflets essentially terete, linear, >10× as long as wide

                                                      26 Corollas white; leaflets 5-11; [more widespread, including Coastal Plain of s. GA and FL].

                                                          28 Calyx tube split on the upper side; calyx tube ribs not prominent, the intervals eglandular or nearly so; leaflets 5; [GA, AL, FL].

                                                            29 Leaves closely spaced and generally with axillary fascicle shoots; bract tips not recurved in bud

                                                            29 Leaves widely spaced and generally lacking axillary fascicle shoots; bract tips recurved in bud

                                                          28 Calyx not split on the upper side; calyx tube ribs prominent (sometimes even flange-like), the intervals with 1 (-3) prominent gland(s); leaflets 5-11; [IN, c. KY, e. TN, c. AL westward].

                                                              30 Spikes globose, 0.8-1.2 cm long, 0.8-1.0 cm in diameter (not including the petals); leaflets 7-11

                                                              30 Spikes cylindric (smaller spikes globose), (1-) 2-8 cm long, 0.6-0.8 cm in diameter (not including the petals); leaflets 5-9.

                                                                 31 Spikes remaining compact in fruit, the rachis remaining hidden; calyx tube ribs rounded, the surface glabrous but the lobes ciliate-margined; [widespread from s. IN, c. KY, e. TN, nw. GA, and sc. AL westwards]

                                                    25 Calyx variously and obviously hairy; bracteoles absent; stems glabrate to variously hairy.

                                                                   32 Corollas white; leaflets 1-2.5× as long as wide; [TX westwards]

                                                                   32 Corollas pink, purple, rose (rarely white); leaflets 6-16× as long as wide; [IN, c. KY, e. TN, nw. GA, and sc. AL westward].

                                                                     33 Spikes 20-70 mm long, loosening with age, the rachis becoming partly visible.

                                                                       34 Calyx pilose, some of the hairs > 1 mm long; leaflets 3-5

                                                                       34 Calyx villosulous or sericeous, the hairs < 1 mm long; leaflets 5-9.

                                                                         35 Calyx tube ribs not strongly developed, the tube nearly terete; stems glabrous to slightly puberulent; leaves slightly puberulent; [Ridge and Valley of se. TN, nw. GA, and ne. AL; Interior Low Plateau of c. TN and n. AL; Ozark Plateau of sc. MO and nc. AR]

                                                                         35 Calyx tube ribs prominent, making the tube 5-angled; stems villosulous; leaves glabrous; [plains of nc. TX]

                                                                     33 Spikes 5-40 mm long (or to 70 mm long in D. purpurea), remaining compact.

                                                                           36 Calyx tube velutinous, the hairs retrorse (the calyx lobes with antrorse hairs); [c. TX]

                                                                           36 Calyx tube villosulous to tomentulose, the hairs antrorse or tangled and multi-directional; [collectively widespread].

                                                                              37 Spikes 10-14 mm in diameter (not including the petals); calyx 4.6-6 mm long; calyx tube villosulous in lines (glabrous between).

                                                                                38 Spikes subsessile or on peduncles to 3 cm long; bracts of the inflorescence 4-8 mm long, equaling or exceeding the calyces at anthesis and therefore evident; leaflets often > 3 mm wide; plants generally decumbent; [se. OK, sw. AR, and e. TX]

                                                                                38 Spikes on peduncles 2015 cm long; bracts of the inflorescence 3-5 mm long, shorter than the calyces at anthesis and therefore not readily evident; leaflets < 3 mm wide; plants decumbent or erect; [nw. LA, se. OK, e. and c. TX]

                                                                              37 Spikes 7-12 mm in diameter (not including the petals); calyx 3.5-5 mm long; calyx tube villosulous across the surface.

                                                                                  39 Interfloral bracts with pubescence along the keel and margins; plants decumbent to ascending, stems normally branching only below the middle

                                                                                  39 Interfloral bracts with pubescence in a transverse band only; plants ascending to erect, the stems branching above the middle