Annual herbs, prostrate or decumbent, ± pilose or pilosulous. Stems 1–3.5(–6.5) dm, glandular-tuberculate. Principal leaves (0.5–)1–3.5 cm; leaflets (7 or) 9–13 (or 15), blades obovate to obcordate, (2–)3–8 mm, margins ± entire or obscurely undulate. Peduncles 0.2–2.5(–4.5) cm. Inflorescences racemes, ± densely flowered, pedicels with black, prickleshaped glands at base and toward apex, not involucrate, 8–14 mm diam.; axis not visible, (0.5–)1–3.5 cm; bracts deciduous, (3–)4.5–8 mm. Calyces ± symmetric, 3.3–6.6 mm, pilose; tube 1.6–2.5 mm, with (1 or)2–6 glands between ribs, lobes triangular or triangular-aristate. Corollas whitish, banner and keel sometimes lilac-tinged; papilionaceous; banner 3–4.2 mm, blades broadly triangular to suborbiculate-cordate, (1.5–)1.7–2.9 × 2.2–3.2 mm; epistemonous petals attached near or proximal to middle of stamen tube; wings 2.1–3 × 1.1–1.4 mm; keel detaching from stamen tube after anthesis, connate by overlapping margins, blades 2.3–3.4 × 1.4–2 mm. Stamens 10, 3.5–5.7 mm, filaments distinct to 2 mm, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm. Legumes 2.2–2.7 mm, pilosulous distally and dotted with small glands. Seeds 1.8–2.2 mm. 2n = 16 [Mexico].
Phenology: Flowering late winter–mid spring (fall–early winter).
Habitat: Sandy or rocky desert slopes, flats, roadsides.
Elevation: -50–700 m.
Distribution
Ariz., Calif., Nev., Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Sonora).
Discussion
Some collectors assume that Dalea mollis is perennial; the season of bloom can be long in a good year, and individual plants can be robust. Most of the fall and early-winter plants are collected in early bloom; an occasional plant from that time-period is taken in late bloom. Dalea mollis is similar to D. mollissima and mixed collections are relatively common. In California, D. mollis is known from the desert regions in the southeastern part of the state.
Selected References
None.