Dalea ornata

Ornate dalea, Ornate Dalea

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Ornate dalea is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in the Modoc Plateau, specifically in Shaffer Mountains of Lassen County, on open, rocky hillsides at elevations around 1,400 meters. Flowering in June, this plant produces pale lavender to rose-purple flowers in compact, ovoid inflorescences with delicate silky-haired calyxes. Growing with clustered, ascending stems 25 to 50 centimeters tall, it forms dense clusters in its rocky habitat. Its leaves are composed of 5 to 7 widely ovate to elliptic leaflets, each 10 to 20 millimeters long, arranged along slender stems. Its distinctive rose-purple banner petals measure 7 to 9 millimeters, creating a delicate and ornate appearance against the rocky landscape.

Habitat: Open, rocky hillsides

Bloom period: Jun

Elevation: 1400 m

Bioregions: MP (Shaffer Mtn, Lassen Co.)

California counties: Lassen

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.