Purple Prairie Clover

Dalea purpurea

Dalea purpurea var. purpurea

DAY-lee-uh  pur-PUR-ee-uh

Synonyms of Dalea purpurea (3) (Updated on 7-15-26 from Plants of the World Online): Kuhnistera purpurea (Vent.) MacMill. (1892), Petalostemon purpureus (Vent.) Rydb. (1900), Psoralea purpurea (Vent.) Poir. (1804)
Synonyms of Dalea purpurea var. arenicola (2) Updated on 7-15-26 from POWO): Dalea arenicola (Wemple) B.L.Turner (2003), Petalostemon arenicola Wemple (1970)
Synonyms of Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (autonym) (12) (Updated on 7-15-26 from POWO): Dalea purpurea f. albiflora (W.H.Horr & McGregor) McGregor (1957), Dalea purpurea f. arenaria (F.C.Gates) McGregor (1957), Dalea violacea Michx. ex Willd. (1802), Kuhnistera violacea (Michx.) Aiton ex Steud. (1840), Petalostemon mollis Rydb. (1900), Petalostemon pubescens A.Nelson (1901), Petalostemon purpureus f. albiflorus W.H.Horr & McGregor (1952), Petalostemon purpureus f. arenarius F.C.Gates (1911), Petalostemon purpureus var. mollis (Rydb.) A.Nelson (1909), Petalostemon standleyanus Rydb. (1920), Petalostemon violaceus Michx. (1803), Psoralea violacea DC. (1825) (pro syn.)

Dalea purpurea Vent. Is the accepted scientific name for this species. It was named and described as such by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in Description des Plantes Nouvelles in 1801.

Accepted Infraspecific Names (2) (Updated ob 7-15-26 from Plants of the World Online): Dalea purpurea var. arenicola (Wemple) Barneby (1977), *Dalea purpurea var. purpurea. *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 7-15-26 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 purpurea var. purpurea is from Flora of North America. 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 purpurea was suggested so I cross-referenced the species on the Missouri Plants website. It appears iNaturalist was right again…

I will come back later to write descriptions. For now, I wanted to get the photos online. There are several links at the bottom of the page that have information about the species and very good descriptions.

 

I will continue going to the prairies to see what is in bloom and to take more photos.

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
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
FLORA FINDER
FRIENDS OF THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
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. 🙂