Dalea adenopoda

Dalea adenopoda, commonly referred to as Tampa prairie-clover or Summer farewell, is a rare species of flowering plant endemic to central and southern peninsular Florida, USA.

Description

D. adenopoda is a perennial upright shrub in the family Fabaceae that may reach up to 3 feet tall.
The flowers are born in terminal heads. The flower buds are concealed by red ovate bracts. Each flower head consists of up to 30 white to pinkish-white flowers. The fruit is a pod about 2.5 mm long.
The alternate leaves are small and fascicled, less than 2 cm long with 3-7 elliptical leaflets, usually 2-3 mm wide and 6-8 mm long. They are pale green and often involute.
D. adenopoda can often be mistaken for another species, D. pinnata, which is found throughout North and Central Florida and has a similar inflorescence. The two species can be distinguished by the shape of their leaflets. D. pinnata leaflets are linear, while D. adenopoda has leaflets that are elliptical.

Distribution and Habitat

D. adenopoda is a Florida endemic. Its range, as identified by vouchered specimens, extends from Lake County in the north to Collier County in the south.
It is limited to the well-drained, sandy substrates of Central and South Florida; namely pine flatwoods. It is often associated with turkey oak, long-leaf pine, and saw palmetto.