Tampa prairie clover

Dalea pinnata var. adenopoda (Rydb.) Barneby

Tampa prairie clover, also called summer farewell, is a perennial shrub whose pale flower heads brighten sandy Florida pine flatwoods. The upright plant grows to about three feet tall, with small leaves gathered into clusters along its stems. Florida Wildflower Foundation: Summer farewell (Dalea adenopoda)

Botanical name

Kew treats Dalea adenopoda as a synonym of the accepted Dalea pinnata var. adenopoda (Rydb.) Barneby. The Atlas of Florida Plants recognizes the same entity at species rank, citing the absence of known intergradation with D. pinnata. Kew Plants of the World Online: Dalea adenopoda synonym record Kew Plants of the World Online: Dalea pinnata, accepted infraspecific taxa University of South Florida, Atlas of Florida Plants: Dalea adenopoda

Recognizing the plant

Red, oval bracts enclose the developing flower heads at the stem tips. The flowers open white or pinkish white. Each pale-green leaf has three to seven elliptical leaflets, often with edges rolled inward. Leaflet shape is a useful distinguishing feature: this plant has broader, elliptic to oblanceolate leaflets, about 1–2 mm wide, compared with the threadlike to linear leaflets of typical Dalea pinnata. Florida Wildflower Foundation: Summer farewell (Dalea adenopoda)Institute for Regional Conservation (2002): Rare Plants of South Florida, Chapter 5 part 2

Seasonal development

Central and South Florida

In Central and South Florida, flowering marks the autumn season, followed by seed production in early winter. Florida Wildflower Foundation: Summer farewell (Dalea adenopoda)

Native range

The plant is endemic to Florida. Its original type material was collected in Tampa, Hillsborough County, in October 1877. University of South Florida, Atlas of Florida Plants: Dalea adenopoda

Ecological relationships

Bees and butterflies visit the flower heads during the blooming season. Florida Wildflower Foundation: Summer farewell (Dalea adenopoda)

Songbirds feed on the seeds that follow the flowers in early winter. Florida Wildflower Foundation: Summer farewell (Dalea adenopoda)

Botanical sources

Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.