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Key to Dalea

Fabaceae

Dalea

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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]
  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.
        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 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].
                                  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].
                                           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 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]
                                                 24 Leaflets 3-7 mm long; calyces 2.5-3.0 mm long; [dry sands of the Carrizo Formation in se. TX]
                                                      26 Corollas pink to purple (rarely white); leaflets 7-9; [east of Mississippi in Coastal Plain of s. GA and FL].
                                                          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].
                                                                 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]
                                                                   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].
                                                                         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]
                                                                                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]

Key to Fabaceae, Key K: herbaceous legumes with pinnately trifoliolate leaves [subfamily Faboideae]

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1 Leaflets denticulate (sometimes inconspicuously so); [tribe Trifolieae].
  2 Inflorescences elongate racemes with an axis 5-15 cm long, the flowers well-spaced along the axis, the overall inflorescence much longer than its diameter
  2 Inflorescences umbellate or headlike clusters or short racemes with an axis < 2 cm long, the flowers closely clustered, the overall inflorescence little (if at all) longer than its diameter.
    3 Legumes spirally coiled or curved, often tuberculate or prickly; stems 4-angled towards the tip; leaves pinnately trifoliolate; calyx actinomorphic
    3 Legumes straight or nearly so, never tuberculate or prickly; stems terete or flattened (2-angled) towards the tip; leaves palmately 3-foliolate; calyx zygomorphic
1 Leaflets entire (and sometimes also with 1 or 2 broad lobes), or with scattered, irregular large teeth (Pachyrhizus erosus).
      4 Main stems erect or ascending, not trailing, twining, or otherwise vine-like.
        5 Flowers not papilionaceous (the wings and keel epistemonous, arising terminally or laterally from the stamen tube), barely bilaterally symmetrical; stamens 5, monadelphous; [tribe Amorpheae]
          6 Plants with separate leafy and flowering stems (the flowering stems naked or nearly so of leaves).
             7 Standard bright red, remaining folded, 30-50 mm long; leaves hastately lobed; fruit a torulose legume, 6-20 cm long, the seeds red; [tribe Phaseoleae]
             7 Standard white or pink, expanded, 4-8 mm long; leaves not hastate; fruit a flattened loment, < 5 cm long, the seeds drab; [tribe Desmodieae]
          6 Plants bearing leaves and flowers on the same stems.
               8 Leaves, stems, and/or calyces glandular-punctate.
                 9 Corollas pink or lavender/purplish; leaflets estipellate; fruit 1-seeded, indehiscent; [tribe Psoraleae]
                 9 Corollas yellow; leaflets stipellate; fruit 2-many-seeded, dehiscent; [tribe Phaseoleae, subtribe Cajaninae]
               8 Leaves, stems, and calyces lacking punctate glands.
                   10 Leaflet blades large, at least the largest terminal leaflets on a plant > 5 cm long.
                       12 Fruit a legume (not segmented into 1-seed dispersal units), hairy but the hairs not hooked; [plants cultivated as garden plants, rare as waifs]
                       12 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights'); [plants widespread, common]
                          13 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights'); [plants widespread, common]
                          13 Fruit a legume (not segmented into 1-seed dispersal units), hairy but the hairs not hooked; [plants cultivated as crops or garden plants, rare as waifs]
                            14 Keel of corolla coiled 1-3 turns; stipules conspicuous, persistent, striate; [bush green beans or lima beans]
                   10 Leaflet blades smaller, all on a plant < 5 cm long.
                                16 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights')
                                16 Fruit a several- to many-seeded legume, glabrous to hairy (but not uncinulate)
                                       19 Petioles fused most of length with amplexicaul stipules, the leaves thus appearing sessile or nearly so; corollas lemon to orangy yellow; flowers subsessile; fruit a loment of 2 segments, the terminal segment fertile, the lower segment either sterile or fertile
                                       19 Petioles free from stipules, leaves evidently petiolate; corollas white to pink; flowers pedicellate; fruit either 1-seeded, or a loment normally with 3+ segments
                                         20 Fruit 1-seeded; terminal leaflets 1-5 cm long, 1.2-8× as long as wide; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1)
      4 Main stems trailing, twining, creeping, or climbing or sprawling over other vegetation.
                                           21 Leaves, stems, and calyces lacking punctate glands; corollas yellow, pink, purplish, white, red, blue.
                                                      26 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights').
                                                                 31 Keel petal and the included style either strongly curved upwards 90-180 degrees, or even more extensively coiled (asymmetrically and spirally) in towards the flower center; stems slender to thicker, > 0.75 mm in diameter.
                                                                   32 Keel petal and the included style strongly curved upwards 90-180 degrees; corollas yellow or pink to lavender (or whitish).
                                                                     33 Corollas yellow (except pink in V. unguiculata); corolla keel symmetrical; [mainly outer Coastal Plain, introduced inland]
                                                                   32 Keel petal and the included style extensively coiled > 180 degrees (asymmetrically and spirally) in towards the flower center; corollas pink, purple, maroon, purple-black (or whitish).
                                                                       34 Peduncles short, the flowers scattered along a (sometimes branched) raceme axis, the raceme axis about as long as or longer than the peduncle; plants uncinulate pubescent (use 20× magnification, or touch the plant for the 'tacky' feel)
                                                                                    40 Keel petal and the included style either strongly curved upwards 90-180 degrees, or even more extensively coiled (asymmetrically and spirally) in towards the flower center; style or stigma pubescent.