Purple Prairie-Clover

Dalea purpurea  (formerly Petalostemum purpureum)

Prairie-Clovers are truly plants of the prairie, perennials with a deep taproot and thriving in full sun. They all have compound leaves, which vary in size among the different species. The inflorscence takes the form of a spike or "finger" of small buds, which open beginning at the bottom, gradually working up the floral spike as the season advances.

This species has bright purple or magenta flowers that form a ring around a tightly-packed central spike, with tiny exerted stamens ending in a bright orange anther. Its compound leaves are fairly short (up to 4 inches),  very fine, and assume a forking character with each leaflet being only about 1/16-inch wide and varying in length up to about 1 inch.

1-3 feet, sun.

Summer (July-September).

7 July 2020.

Purple Prairie-Clover, 2 July 2020.