White Prairie Clover
Dalea candida
Observed along side a forest trail in the ponderosa woodlands of Upper East Verde watershead just below the Mogollon Rim, Gila Co., Arizona, USA. August 2010. The larger insect is a Spring Azure Butterfly.
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FLOWERS: Compact spikes of bright white flowers with conspicuous yellow
stamens. The flower petals are arrayed to one side of the flower. Blooming in
summer with onset of summer rains. Very attractive to insects.
LEAVES: Leaves pinnately
divided into linear, mostly hairless segments. Several orange-colored glands emit strong terpene
odor when rubbed/bruised.
PERENNIAL: Above ground portion is herbaceous and regrows from woody
root stock/base. About a meter tall.
RANGE: Widespread and frequent in ponderosa woodlands. Conspicuous in
bloom as many stems of one or more plants form a thicket with many blooming
simultaneously.
FRUIT: Dry bean pods with one small bean-seed per pod.
UNARMED. Thornless.
Fabaceae -- Bean Family
More Information:
- Southwest Environemtnal Information Network
- Southwest Colorado Wildflowers
- USDA Plant Profile
- ITIS Taxonomic Report
- Google Images
- Google Scholar Literature Search