Perennial herbs, erect to spreading, glabrous, puberulent, pilose, or tomentulose. Stems 2–9 dm, eglandular or with few scattered glands. Principal leaves 1.7–4(–4.5) cm; leaflets 3 or 5(or 7), blades linear to linear-elliptic, (7–)10–24(–28) mm. Peduncles (0–)3–15 cm. Inflorescences spikes, densely flowered, not involucrate, 7–12 mm diam.; axis not visible, (1–)1.5–7 cm; bracts persistent through anthesis, (2.3–)2.7–5.8(–7) mm. Calyces subsymmetric, 3.2–4.5 mm, pilosulous, base with antrorse hairs; tube (1.7–)2–2.8(–2.9) mm, with 0 glands between ribs, lobes lanceolate to ovate, adaxial pair broadest. Corollas rose, magenta, pale purple, lilac, or pink; not conventionally papilionaceous; banner (4.3–)4.7–6.7(–7.2) mm, blade ovate to suborbiculate, 1.7–2.6(–2.8) × 1.7–2.8(–3.2) mm; epistemonous petals attached at separation of filaments, blades 2.5–3.8(–4) × 0.8–1.3(–1.5)mm. Stamens 5, 5.6–8.5(–9) mm, filaments distinct to 3–5.2(–5.5) mm, anthers (0.7–)0.8–1.3(–1.4) mm. Legumes 2.1–2.6 mm, distally pilosulous and gland-dotted. Seeds 1.6–2.1 mm.

Distribution

North America.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Dalea purpurea is characteristic of prairies and has a wide geographical distribution. It is sometimes culti­vated for its showy purple flowers and drought tolerance. Livestock find it palatable; it decreases with grazing.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Dalea purpurea var. arenicola, Dalea purpurea var. purpurea

Key

1	Spikes (8–)9.5–12 mm diam.; peduncles 0–10 cm (often absent or very short on side shoots).	Dalea purpurea var. purpurea
1	Spikes 7–9 mm diam.; peduncles 3–15 cm.	Dalea purpurea var. arenicola