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shasta clover

canyon clover, Howell's clover

Habit Plants perennial, leaves basal and cauline, ± erect, loosely cespitose, 15–45 cm, glabrous; branched. Plants perennial, erect, 30–100 cm, glabrous; stems unbranched or branched distally, fistulose.
Leaves

palmate;

leaflets 3, lanceolate or elliptic, 5–20 × 3–13 mm, bases cuneate;

margins serrate;

veins prominent;

tips acute, apiculate;

surfaces glabrous;

petioles 5–120 mm;

petiolules ~1 mm;

stipules ovate-lanceolate, 5–20 mm;

margins entire, sometimes lobed;

tips acute to acuminate.

palmate;

leaflets 3; ovate, elliptic, or rhombic, 35–95 × 23–50 mm, bases cuneate;

margins serrate to nearly entire;

veins obscure;

tips acute, rounded, or obtuse;

surfaces glabrous;

petioles 5–200 mm;

petiolules 1–1.5 mm;

stipules ovate, 15–45 mm;

margins entire, sometimes lobed;

tips acuminate.

Inflorescences

terminal or axillary, 15–30-flowered; ellipsoidal or conical, 15–20 × 10–30 mm;

rachises prolonged beyond flowers, undivided or forked, often bearing cluster of sterile flower buds distally;

involucres absent;

bracteoles minute, lanceolate.

terminal or axillary, 20–70-flowered, globose or ellipsoidal, 25–40 × 20–25 mm;

rachises prolonged beyond flowers, undivided or forked, often bearing cluster of sterile flower buds distally;

involucres absent;

bracteoles minute, membranous; blunt or acute.

Peduncles

20–130 mm, slightly twisted distally.

30–110 mm.

Pedicels

strongly reflexed; ~0.5 mm.

erect in bud, reflexed in flower and fruit; ~1 mm.

Flowers

12–14 mm;

calyces campanulate, 3–3.5 mm, pink to purple, glabrous;

veins 10 (5 sometimes faint);

tubes 1.5–1.7 mm;

lobes triangular-subulate, subequal;

orifices open;

corollas 12–14 mm, pink to deep purple;

banners oblong, 12–14 × 4–5 mm;

tips rounded or retuse.

10–14 mm;

calyces campanulate, gibbous, 4–5.5 mm, glabrous;

veins 10;

tubes 2–2.5 mm;

lobes linear-lanceolate, subequal;

orifices open;

corollas 11–12 mm, white to greenish white or greenish yellow;

banners elliptic-oblong, 11–12 × 4–5 mm;

tips obtuse.

Fruits

longitudinally dehiscent, obliquely ellipsoid; ~5 mm; ? calyces.

longitudinally dehiscent, oblong or clavate, 4–5 mm; ? calyces.

Seeds

1–2, flattened-ovoid, 2–3 mm, brown, often purple-mottled; smooth.

1–3, angular; mitten-shaped, 2.5 mm; reddish black or brown; smooth or slightly roughened; dull.

2n

=16.

Trifolium productum

Trifolium howellii

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

Open coniferous woods, streambanks, grassy meadows, rocky areas. Flowering May–Aug. 1200–2400 m. BR, Casc, ECas. CA, NV. Native.

Trifolium productum is most morphologically similar to T. kingii but differs from the latter by its glabrous calyx and a rachis that is elongated beyond the flowers ? 15 mm and is apically forked (Zohary & Heller 1984). Trifolium productum is geographically isolated from T. kingii. The former is restricted to northern California, western Oregon, and western Nevada, while the latter is restricted to Utah and eastern Nevada (Gillett 1972).

Wet streambanks and meadows, river floodplains, shady woodlands, springs, thickets. Flowering Jun–Aug. 400–1900 m. Casc, Sisk. CA. Native.

Trifolium howellii is of conservation concern and is very narrowly distributed in northern California and Oregon (Gillett 1972). It has some of the largest leaves of any Trifolium species in North America.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 736
Michael Vincent
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. 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. 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. 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. 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
Synonyms Trifolium kingii, Trifolium kingii var. productum
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