Trifolium barbigerum |
Trifolium alexandrinum |
|
---|---|---|
bearded clover |
Egyptian clover |
|
Habit | Herbs annual, 7–20 cm, puberulent or glabrous. | Herbs annual, 20–60 cm, appressed-pubescent. |
Stems | decumbent or erect, branched. |
erect, branched. |
Leaves | palmate; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–1.1 cm, margins toothed or lacerate, apex acute-acuminate; petiole 1–10 cm; petiolules to 0.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades oblanceolate or obovate, 1.5–2.5 × 0.4–0.7 cm, base cuneate, veins fine, thickened distally, margins ± serrate or entire, apex rounded or retuse, surfaces pubescent or glabrous. |
palmate; stipules lanceolate, 1–2 cm, margins denticulate distally, plumose-ciliate, apex caudate; petiole 1–8 cm; petiolules 1+ mm; leaflets 3, blades broadly elliptic to oblong, 1–5 × 0.5–1.5 cm, base cuneate, veins fine, margins denticulate, apex usually mucronate, sometimes retuse, surfaces hairy. |
Inflorescences | axillary or terminal, 5–20-flowered, subglobose or globose, 0.6–1.5 × 1–1.5 cm; involucres bowl-shaped, 5–15 mm, lobes 6–10, sharply setaceous-toothed, sinuses shallow. |
terminal, 25–100-flowered, ovoid, elongate in fruit, 1–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm; involucres minute or absent. |
Peduncles | 5–10 cm. |
0.5–9 cm. |
Pedicels | straight, 0.2 mm; bracteoles absent. |
absent; bracteoles absent. |
Flowers | 4–6 mm; calyx campanulate, 5–9 mm, usually pubescent, rarely glabrous, veins 5, tube 2–3 mm, lobes ± equal, setaceous, often exceeding banner, orifice open; corolla usually lavender to purple, usually with white tips, rarely wholly white, 5–8 mm, banner broadly oblong, proximally inflated in fruit, distally narrowed into twisted tip, 6–8 × 6–8 mm, apex broadly acute. |
13–16 mm; calyx cylindric (campanulate in fruit), 6–8 mm, appressed-hairy, veins 10, tube 1–2 mm, lobes erect to slightly spreading, equal or abaxial 2 slightly longer, narrowly triangular, orifice open, hairy; corolla cream or yellowish white, 13–16 mm, banner narrowly spatulate, 13–16 × 3–4 mm, apex obtuse. |
Legumes | ovoid-ellipsoid, 2–3 mm. |
ellipsoid, leathery distally, transversely dehiscent, 2.2–2.5 mm. |
Seeds | 1 or 2, brown, ellipsoid to subglobose, 1–1.5 mm, slightly roughened. |
1, yellow, ovoid, 2–2.2 mm, smooth, glossy. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Trifolium barbigerum |
Trifolium alexandrinum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jun. | Flowering Apr–May. |
Habitat | Vernal pools, stream banks, meadows, lawns. | Disturbed areas, fields. |
Elevation | 0–1300 m. (0–4300 ft.) | 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA; OR
|
CA; w Asia (Syria) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in e Asia (e China), n Africa, Australia] |
Discussion | Trifolium barbigerum is relatively common and widespread in California, and extends northward into Coos, Curry, and Jackson counties in Oregon. It is morphologically similar to T. physanthum of Chile, to which it is a sister species in phylogenetic studies (N. W. Ellison et al. 2006). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Trifolium alexandrinum (known also as berseem, from its Arabic name) has been cultivated in the Mediterranean region for millennia and appears to have been introduced into Egypt in the sixth century (P. B. Kennedy and W. W. Mackie 1925). The origin of T. alexandrinum was long shrouded in mystery, because it appeared that the progenitors of the species were possibly extinct (W. E. Knight 1985b). Examination of similar species using molecular data gave indications that T. berytheum Boissier & C. I. Blanche and T. salmoneum Mouterde might be the primary ancestors from which domestication occurred through artificial selection in Syria (A. Badr et al. 2008). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 11. | FNA vol. 11. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | T. minutissimum | |
Name authority | Torrey in War Department [U.S.]: Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 79. (1857) | Linnaeus: Cent. Pl. I, 25. (1755) |
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