Dalea melantha var. pubens Barneby

  • Authors

    Rupert C. Barneby

  • Authority

    Barneby, Rupert C. 1977. Daleae Imagines, an illustrated revision of Errazurizia Philippi, Psorothamnus Rydberg, Marine Liebmann, and Dalea Lucanus emen. Barneby, including all species of Leguminosae tribe Amorpheae Borissova ever referred to Dalea. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 1-892.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Dalea melantha var. pubens Barneby

  • Type

    Holotypus, TEX.

  • Description

    Species Description - Like var. melantha in size, shape and number of leaflets, but these, like the young branchlets, softly puberulent with subappressed hairs 0.2-0.4 mm; raceme lax, as in var. berlandieri. — Collection: 1 (typus).

    Distribution and Ecology - In grassland-chaparral on limestone, ± 2250 m, known only from the type-locality in Sa. de Jimulco in extreme s.-w. corner of Coahuila. — Flowering in September.

    Latin Diagnosis - Dalea melantha Schauer var. pubens Barneby, var. nov., foliolis parvis obovatis 4-5- jugis var. melantham, racemo dissitifloro var. berlandieri simulans, ab ambabus foliis ramulisque undique puberulis recedens, a var. cineracea, pube simili, foliolis 4-5- nec 7-10-jugis, bracteis intus sericeis, patriaque procul aliena distans. — Coahuila: lime- stone-loam flat on broad ridge in grassland-chaparral at 7500 ft., Sierra de Jimulco ± 6 (air) miles s.-s.-w. of La Rosita on trail to summit, near 25° 10' N, 103° 15' W, Sept. 8, 1973, James Henrickson 13140.

  • Discussion

    A remarkable variant, combining in one plant the 4- 5 pairs of small leaflets expected in var. melantha, the lax raceme of var. berlandieri, and the pubescence, though less dense, of the distantly allopatric var. cineracea. The plant suggests a laxly racemose form of D. lutea, but the promptly deciduous bracts and pedicellate calyces are characteristic of D. melantha sens. lat.

  • Distribution

    Coahuila Mexico North America| Mexico North America|