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rose clover

Habit Plants annual, curved-ascending, 10–35 cm, densely spreading-hairy; branched.
Leaves

pinnate;

leaflets 3, obovate to oblong, 8–25 × 5–13 mm, bases cuneate;

margins denticulate distally;

veins prominent, closely-spaced;

tips rounded;

surfaces densely spreading-hairy;

petioles 5–50 mm;

petiolules ~0.5 mm;

stipules lanceolate-ovate, 8–18 mm;

margins entire;

tips long-setaceous.

Inflorescences

terminal on branches, 10–50-flowered, globose or ovoid, 15–25 × 15–25 mm, disarticulating at maturity into fruiting calyces;

involucres enlarged stipules;

bracteoles absent.

Peduncles

absent.

Pedicels

absent.

Flowers

10–17 mm;

calyces campanulate, 7–11 mm, pilose;

veins 20;

tubes 2–5 mm;

lobes subequal; abaxial slightly longer;

orifices open, pilose;

corollas 10–14 mm, pink to purplish red;

banners lanceolate, 10–14 × 1–2 mm;

tips acute-acuminate.

Fruits

transversely dehiscent; ovoid, 2–3 mm; ? calyces; leathery distally.

Seeds

1, globose-ellipsoid, 1.5–2 mm, tan or brown; smooth; glossy.

2n

=10.

Trifolium hirtum

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Fields, roadsides. Flowering Apr–Jun. 50–800 m. Sisk, WV. CA; southeastern US; Africa, Asia, Europe. Exotic.

Trifolium hirtum is native to the Mediterranean region. It was first cultivated in California in the 1940s and is used as a forage plant and as a nitrogen source in roadside grass plantings (Love 1985).

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 730
Michael Vincent
Sibling taxa
T. albopurpureum, T. angustifolium, T. appendiculatum, T. arvense, T. aureum, T. barbigerum, T. beckwithii, T. bifidum, T. breweri, T. campestre, T. cernuum, T. ciliolatum, T. cyathiferum, T. depauperatum, T. dichotomum, T. douglasii, T. dubium, T. echinatum, T. eriocephalum, T. fragiferum, T. fucatum, T. glomeratum, T. gymnocarpon, T. howellii, T. hybridum, T. incarnatum, T. latifolium, T. leibergii, T. longipes, T. macraei, T. macrocephalum, T. microcephalum, T. microdon, T. obtusiflorum, T. oliganthum, T. owyheense, T. plumosum, T. pratense, T. productum, T. repens, T. resupinatum, T. retusum, T. siskiyouense, T. striatum, T. subterraneum, T. suffocatum, T. tomentosum, T. variegatum, T. vesiculosum, T. willdenovii, T. wormskioldii
Web links