Dalea emarginata
Family: Fabaceae
Plant Description: Annual with upright to reclining stems up to 50 cm long. Leaves pinnate, alternate, the leaflets 3-9 mm long. Hairless and weak stemmed. Flowers in terminal heads or spikes. Leaves are alternate, compound leaflets 13-17 up to 6 mm log. Upper petal about 2.5 mm long, purple, strongly bilateral. Plants produce pleasant aromatic odor when handled. Glands easily seen on the calyxes and the lower leaf surfaces.
Plant Trivia:
Field Identification: low ground cover bean with cylindrical flower cone ringed with tiny purple flowers ringing the top. glands may be easily seen on the calyxes and lower leaf surfaces.
Occurrence: Common on sandy soil.
Bloom Period: Mar-Nov
Plant Use: Nectar source for small insects.
Key to the species of Dalea: There are 11 Dalea species in our area. A key to their identification may be found in Plants of the Texas Coastal Bend by Roy L. Lehman, Ruth O’Brien and Tammy White.
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