White Prairie Clover

Dalea candida

DAY-lee-uh  kan-DEE-uh

Synonyms of Dalea candida (3) (Updated on 7-14-26 from Plants of the World Online): Kuhnistera candida (Willd.) Kuntze (1891), Petalostemon candidus (Willd.) Michx. (1803), Psoralea candida (Willd.) Poir. (1804)
Synonyms of Dalea candida var. candida (autonym) (3) (Updated on 7-14-26 from POWO): Kuhnistera oligophylla A.Heller (1896), Petalostemon candidus var. occidentalis A.Gray ex Britton & Kearney (1895), Petalostemon oligophyllus (A.Heller) Rydb. (1900)
Synonyms of Dalea candida var. oligophylla (10) (Updated on 7-14-26 from POWO): Dalea occidentalis (A.Heller) Isely (1998) (nom. illeg. homonym. post.), Dalea oligophylla (Torr.) Shinners (1949), Kuhnistera candida var. diffusa Rydb. (1895), Kuhnistera candida var. occidentalis Rydb. (1895), Kuhnistera occidentalis A.Heller (1895), Petalostemon candidus var. oligophyllus (Torr.) F.J.Herm. (1948), Petalostemon gracilis var. oligophyllus Torr. (1848), Petalostemon occidentalis (A.Heller) Fernald (1937), Petalostemon sonorae Rydb. (1920), Petalostemon truncatus Rydb. (1920)

Dalea candida Willd. is the accepted scientific name for the Prairie Clover. It was named and described as such by Carl Ludwig Willdenow in the forth edition of Species Plantarum in 1802.

Accepted Infraspecific names (2) (Updated on 7-14-26 from Plants of the World Online): *Dalea candida var. candida (autonym), Dalea candida var. oligophylla (Torr.) Shinners (1958). *When an infraspecific taxon is named, an autonym (“type-specimen”) is automatically generated whose description is closest to the (original) species. All have their own list of synonyms… 

The genus, Dalea L., was named as such by Carl von Linnaeus in Opera Varia in 1758.

As of 7-13-26 when this page was written, Plants of the World Online lists 193 species in the Dalea genus. It is a member of the plant family Fabaceae with 805 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Dalea candida is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green is where the species is native. The map from the USDA Plants Database is similar. No map is perfect, but they do give a general idea.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations. I post all my observations on iNaturalist.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A POSITIVE ID.

I was invited by a friend to visit a private prairie east of town in May 2025 and it was incredible. Then we went to Drover’s Prairie and the Lordi Marker Prairie on April 19 in 2026 which was also incredible. I then went to the Friendly Prairie and back to Drover’s Prairie on June 22 where I found even more new to me species. While at the Friendly Prairie, I ran across this species I wasn’t familiar with. I took several photos which I uploaded on iNaturalist when I returned home. The name Dalea candida was suggested so I cross-referenced the species on the Missouri Plants website. It appears iNaturalist was right again…

I apologize for not writing descriptions when I published this page, but I wanted to go ahead and get photos online. There are several links at the bottom of the page for further reading and with great descriptions written by experts. 

 

I will continue going back to the prairies to photograph and identify more species.

I live on the family farm in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be variable from location to location, so that can be a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and they have provided much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF MISSOURI (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
iNATURALIST
MISSOURI PLANTS
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
FRIENDS OF THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
GO BOTANY
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS NATIVE PLANTS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
PFAF (PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
SEINet

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂