WILDFLOWERS OF NEW MEXICO

Numerous unbranched, hairless stems 6–16-inches tall sprout from a root crown often forming a dense cluster of flower spikes. Small, white flowers on the 1–3-inch long spikes bloom from the bottom up. Not the tiny, finger-like lobes on the central pedals.

FLOWER: April–November. The white, 1/8-inch long (3 mm) flowers have a yellow-green throat and 3 rounded petals; 2 unite to form the stamen tube, 1 forms a central keel tipped with 8 finger-like lobes; 5 sepals, the 2 largest are petal-like and form the lateral wings.

LEAVES: Whorled near base; alternate on stem. Blades, narrow and linear without stems, 1/4–1-inch long (6–25 mm) and 1/10-inch wide (2.5 mm) with entire margins. Lower leaves may be clustered; upper leaves get smaller.

HABITAT: Dry rocky, sandy soils, prairies, pastures, open woodlands, roadsides, disturbed areas; desert grasslands and scrub, pinyon-juniper, ponderosa, yellow pine forests.

ELEVATION: 3,800–7,600 feet.

RANGE: AZ, CO, KS, OK, NM, TX; Rocky Mountain states.

SIMILAR SPECIES:  White Prairie-clover, Dalea candida, statewide in similar habitats, has compound leaves with 5–9 leaflets 3/8–1-inch long. The introduced White Sweet Clover, Melilotus officinalis, widespread statewide, has compound leaves with 3 leaflets 1/2–1-inch long.

NM COUNTIES: Nearly statewide (no records in Mora, San Juan, Taos cos.) in low- to mid-elevation, dry habitats.

NOTES: The genus name is Greek meaning “much milk,” referring to a bush that was believed to increase lactation.