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big-headed clover, largehead clover

narrowleaf crimson clover

Habit Plants perennial, erect or ascending, 5–25 cm, villous; branched. Plants annual, erect, 10–30 cm, appressed-pubescent; unbranched to sparsely branched.
Leaves

palmate;

leaflets (5)7–9, broadly to narrowly obovate, often folded, 10–27 × 4–11 mm, bases cuneate;

margins serrulate or irregularly lobed;

veins thickened, especially distally;

tips rounded or truncate, apiculate;

surfaces abaxially villous, adaxially sparsely villous to glabrate;

petioles 10–140 mm;

petiolules 0.9–1.2 mm;

stipules ovate, obovate, or oblong, 10–30 mm;

margins entire.

pinnate;

leaflets 3, linear-lanceolate, 30–50 × 2–4 mm, bases cuneate;

margins entire;

veins fine;

tips acute;

surfaces hairy;

petioles 20–30 mm;

petiolules 1+ mm;

stipules lanceolate to linear, 5–22 mm;

margins entire;

tips acute.

Inflorescences

terminal, 20–32-flowered, globose or ovoid-ellipsoidal, 25–80 × 30–70 mm;

involucres absent;

bracteoles broadly ovate, membranous; ? 0.5 mm, truncate.

terminal, 25–75-flowered, spiciform; cylindrical or conical, 30–80 × 15–20 mm;

involucres absent;

bracteoles absent.

Peduncles

20–80 mm.

10–22 mm.

Pedicels

erect, 1–1.5 mm.

straight, 0.5 mm.

Flowers

20–30 mm;

calyces campanulate, 10–22 mm, villous;

veins 10–15;

tubes 2.5–4 mm;

lobes subulate, subequal, 2–4 × tube length, plumose;

orifices open;

corollas 20–28 mm, white; creamy white, or pinkish;

banners ovate or oblong, 20–28 × 10–13 mm;

tips rounded or slightly emarginate;

keel petals deep pink.

10–13 mm;

calyces tubular, 8–13 mm, tuberculate with appressed; stiff hairs;

veins 10;

tubes 3–5 mm;

lobes unequal; abaxial lobes subulate-setaceous; longest spreading stellate in fruit;

orifices closed by bilabiate callosities; hairy;

corollas 9–12 mm;

banners ovate-elliptic, 9–12 × 2–2.5 mm, pale pink, purple, or white;

tips acute.

Fruits

longitudinally dehiscent; ovoid, 4–5 mm; ? calyces.

transversely dehiscent; ovoid, 2.2–2.5 mm; ? calyces; leathery distally.

Seeds

1–2; mitten-shaped to ellipsoid, 2.5–3 mm, yellow or reddish; smooth.

1; ovoid, 1.6–2 mm, light brown or yellow; smooth; glossy.

2n

=32, 48.

=14, 16.

Trifolium macrocephalum

Trifolium angustifolium

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rocky places, hard, compacted clay gumbo, lava beds, sage-covered slopes. Flowering Apr–Jul. 0–2200 m. BR, BW, Col, ECas, Lava, Owy. CA, ID, NV, WA. Native.

Trifolium macrocephalum has the largest inflorescences of any species in the genus. The name T. megacephalum is an illegitimate replacement name for Lupinaster macrocephalum.

Disturbed areas. Flowering May–Jul. 0–700 m. CR, Est, Sisk, WV. CA; southeastern US; worldwide. Exotic.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 734
Michael Vincent
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 722
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. hirtum, T. howellii, T. hybridum, T. incarnatum, T. latifolium, T. leibergii, T. longipes, T. macraei, 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
T. albopurpureum, 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. hirtum, 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
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