About Dalea foliosa (A.Gray) Barneby
Dalea foliosa (A.Gray) Barneby is a perennial herb that reaches 20 to 80 centimeters in height. It grows multiple erect stems that sprout from a hard root crown. Its leaves are composed of hairless, oval leaflets that grow up to 1.3 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a cone-shaped or cylindrical spike that holds many purple flowers, with pointed green bracts located between the individual flowers. It blooms in summer, and its flowers are pollinated by bumblebees. Seeds of this species can persist for 8 years in the soil seed bank. This plant is native to glades and prairies that form on limestone substrates. Its habitat can be moist or wet, with seeps occurring in the calcareous ground. It may grow alongside two other species: rose pink (Sabatia angularis) and brown-eyed susan (Rudbeckia triloba). Disjunct populations of the plant exist in northern Illinois, where it grows in sunny, open dolomite prairies and river terraces. These areas are subject to periodic burning as part of the natural fire regime.
