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notch-leaf clover, Pinole clover, piñole clover

Carolina clover

Habit Herbs annual, 5–55 cm, sparsely pubescent or glabrous. Herbs annual, 5–30 cm, pilose.
Stems

erect, branched.

prostrate, ascending, or erect, branched.

Leaves

palmate;

stipules ovate to lanceolate, 0.8–1.5 cm, margins entire or slightly serrate, apex acicular;

petiole 1–7 cm;

petiolules to 0.5 mm;

leaflets 3, blades narrowly obcordate, obovate, oblanceolate, or linear, 1–2.5 × 0.3–0.7 cm, base cuneate, veins moderately thickened, margins serrate distally or entire, apex rounded, truncate, shallowly to deeply retuse, or deeply 2-fid, surfaces glabrous or hairy abaxially along midvein.

palmate;

stipules ovate, 0.6–1 cm, margins entire or serrate, apex acuminate;

petiole 2–5 cm;

petiolules 1 mm;

leaflets 3, blades obovate, 0.6–1.4 × 0.3–1.1 cm, base cuneate, veins moderately thickened, margins denticulate, apex rounded, sometimes retuse, surfaces glabrous except on veins abaxially.

Inflorescences

axillary or terminal, 5–30-flowered, globose to subglobose, 0.8–1.5 × 0.8–1.5 cm, rachis prolonged beyond flowers;

involucres a very narrow rim, to 0.5 mm.

axillary or terminal, 5–40-flowered, globose, 1–2 × 1–2 cm;

involucres minute.

Peduncles

3–8 cm.

± geniculate proximal to flowers, inflorescence appearing sideways or inverted, 3.5–10 cm.

Pedicels

reflexed in fruit, 1–3 mm;

bracteoles broadly triangular, membranous, to 0.5 mm.

reflexed, 2–3 mm;

bracteoles ovate or lanceolate, 0.5 mm.

Flowers

6–8 mm;

calyx campanulate, 3–3.6 mm, slightly hairy or glabrous, veins 10, tube 1–1.5 mm, lobes unequal, subulate, margins green or purple, orifice open;

corolla pink or purple, 5–7 mm, banner elliptic to oblong, 5–7 × 3–4 mm, apex rounded, apiculate.

4.5–7 mm;

calyx usually pink to magenta, campanulate, bilabiate, 3–4 mm, pilose, veins 5, slightly branched in lobes, tube 0.8–1 mm, lobes unequal, abaxial 3 lanceolate or linear, 0.8–1 mm, villous, adaxial 2 broadly triangular, 2.5–3 mm, orifice open;

corolla creamy white, often pink-tinged, darkening in age, 4–4.5 mm, banner broadly ovate-rhombic, 4–4.5 × 3.8–4 mm, apex rounded, slightly erose.

Legumes

stipitate, obovoid, 3–4 mm.

oblong, 3–4 mm.

Seeds

1 or 2, brown, mottled, oblong, 2–3 mm, smooth.

2–4, yellow-brown to brown, globose to mitten-shaped, 1.1–1.6 mm, rugose.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Trifolium bifidum

Trifolium carolinianum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Open woodlands, fields, road­sides, slopes, stream margins, meadows. Sandy soils in dry fields, lawns, open woods, disturbed ground, rocky slopes.
Elevation 0–1200 m. (0–3900 ft.) 0–400 m. (0–1300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; DE; FL; GA; KS; LA; MO; MS; NC; OK; PA; SC; TX; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Trifolium bifidum ranges from Baja California, Mexico, northward through California to scattered sites in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

Recent re-evaluation of Trifolium bifidum and related species showed complete overlap in characters for the two varieties that have been recognized previously, with no clear distinctions between them (L. Rogers, pers. comm.).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Trifolium arvense Walter (1788), a later homonym of T. arvense Linnaeus (1753), was considered a synonym of T. carolinianum by M. Zohary and D. Heller (1984). Trifolium repens Walter (1788, not Linnaeus 1753) is likely also a synonym of T. carolinianum. The record of the species from Vermont is a waif.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Trifolium Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Trifolium
Sibling taxa
T. albopurpureum, T. alexandrinum, T. amoenum, T. amphianthum, T. andersonii, T. andinum, T. angustifolium, T. appendiculatum, T. arvense, T. attenuatum, T. aureum, T. barbigerum, T. barnebyi, T. beckwithii, T. bejariense, T. bolanderi, T. brandegeei, T. breweri, T. buckwestiorum, T. calcaricum, T. campestre, T. carolinianum, T. cernuum, T. ciliolatum, T. columbinum, T. cyathiferum, T. dasyphyllum, T. dedeckerae, T. depauperatum, T. dichotomum, T. douglasii, T. dubium, T. echinatum, T. eriocephalum, T. fragiferum, T. friscanum, T. fucatum, T. glomeratum, T. gracilentum, T. grayi, T. gymnocarpon, T. haydenii, T. hirtum, T. howellii, T. hybridum, T. hydrophilum, T. incarnatum, T. jokerstii, T. kentuckiense, T. kingii, T. lappaceum, T. latifolium, T. leibergii, T. lemmonii, T. longipes, T. lupinaster, T. macilentum, T. macraei, T. macrocephalum, T. medium, T. microcephalum, T. microdon, T. monanthum, T. mucronatum, T. nanum, T. nigrescens, T. obtusiflorum, T. oliganthum, T. ornithopodioides, T. owyheense, T. palmeri, T. parryi, T. pinetorum, T. piorkowskii, T. plumosum, T. polyodon, T. pratense, T. productum, T. reflexum, T. repens, T. resupinatum, T. retusum, T. rollinsii, T. siskiyouense, T. sonorense, T. stoloniferum, T. striatum, T. subterraneum, T. suffocatum, T. thompsonii, T. tomentosum, T. trichocalyx, T. variegatum, T. vesiculosum, T. virginicum, T. willdenovii, T. wormskioldii
T. albopurpureum, T. alexandrinum, T. amoenum, T. amphianthum, T. andersonii, T. andinum, T. angustifolium, T. appendiculatum, T. arvense, T. attenuatum, T. aureum, T. barbigerum, T. barnebyi, T. beckwithii, T. bejariense, T. bifidum, T. bolanderi, T. brandegeei, T. breweri, T. buckwestiorum, T. calcaricum, T. campestre, T. cernuum, T. ciliolatum, T. columbinum, T. cyathiferum, T. dasyphyllum, T. dedeckerae, T. depauperatum, T. dichotomum, T. douglasii, T. dubium, T. echinatum, T. eriocephalum, T. fragiferum, T. friscanum, T. fucatum, T. glomeratum, T. gracilentum, T. grayi, T. gymnocarpon, T. haydenii, T. hirtum, T. howellii, T. hybridum, T. hydrophilum, T. incarnatum, T. jokerstii, T. kentuckiense, T. kingii, T. lappaceum, T. latifolium, T. leibergii, T. lemmonii, T. longipes, T. lupinaster, T. macilentum, T. macraei, T. macrocephalum, T. medium, T. microcephalum, T. microdon, T. monanthum, T. mucronatum, T. nanum, T. nigrescens, T. obtusiflorum, T. oliganthum, T. ornithopodioides, T. owyheense, T. palmeri, T. parryi, T. pinetorum, T. piorkowskii, T. plumosum, T. polyodon, T. pratense, T. productum, T. reflexum, T. repens, T. resupinatum, T. retusum, T. rollinsii, T. siskiyouense, T. sonorense, T. stoloniferum, T. striatum, T. subterraneum, T. suffocatum, T. thompsonii, T. tomentosum, T. trichocalyx, T. variegatum, T. vesiculosum, T. virginicum, T. willdenovii, T. wormskioldii
Synonyms T. bifidum var. decipiens, T. greenei, T. hallii Amoria caroliniana, T. oxypetalum, T. umbellatum
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 3: 102. (1864) Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 58. (1803)
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