SafePlants

Gray's Prairie Clover (Dalea grayi)

Gray's Prairie Clover, scientifically known as Dalea grayi, is a subshrub forb/herb belonging to the genus Dalea.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Taxonomic Rank: Species
• Synonym: Parosela grayi Vail

Common Names

• Gray's Prairie Clover (English)
• Gray's Prairie-clover (English)
• Gray's prairieclover (English)

Distribution and Habitat

In Illinois, Dalea foliosa (Leafy Prairie Clover) is found growing in prairie remnants. Purple prairie clover also occurs in glades, rocky open woods, and prairies. It is also found in Gray Summit, Missouri.

Morphological Characteristics

• Purple prairie clover has leaves divided into 3 to 9 shiny, narrow leaflets, each about 1-inch long and 1/8-inch wide.
• The calyx holding the purple prairie clover flower is woolly, dull gray to rusty red.
• Many xeric plants feature gray-green or silver foliage, while purple prairie clover's foliage is a refreshing deep blue-green.
• The plant form is an upright, rounded silhouette.

Ecological Role

• Purple Prairie Clover is a legume that fertilizes the prairie naturally with Nitrogen that it takes from the air.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• White prairie clover can be visited by brown scarab beetles and gray beetles (weevils).

Related Species

• Dalea albiflora A. Gray – Whiteflower Prairie Clover
• Dalea brachystachya Gray - Fort Bowie Prairie Clover
• Dalea bicolor Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. - Silver Prairie Clover
• Dalea candida – White Prairie Clover
• Dalea foliosa (A. Gray) Barneby – Leafy Prairie Clover
• Dalea frutescens A. Gray – Black Prairie Clover, Black Dalea
• Dalea hallii A. Gray – Hall's Prairie Clover, Hall's Dalea
• Dalea jamesonii (J.F. Macbr.) – James' Prairie Clover
• Dalea ornata – Western Prairie Clover
• Dalea purpurea – Purple Prairie Clover
• Dalea searlsiae A. Gray Barneby - Searls' Prairie Clover
• Dalea villosa var. villosa (Nutt.) – Silky Prairie-clover