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notch-leaf clover, Pinole clover, piñole clover

cluster clover

Habit Herbs annual, 5–55 cm, sparsely pubescent or glabrous. Herbs annual, 10–30 cm, glabrous.
Stems

erect, branched.

procumbent, decumbent, or ascending, 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, 1–1.5 cm, margins entire, apex subulate-setaceous;

petiole 0–7 cm;

petiolules to 0.5 mm;

leaflets 3, blades obovate or obcordate, 0.6–1.5 × 0.4–1 cm, base cuneate, veins thickened distally, margins spinulose-serrate, apex retuse or rounded, surfaces glabrous.

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, 30+-flowered, globose, 0.8–1 × 0.8–1 cm;

involucres absent.

Peduncles

3–8 cm.

absent or to 0.1 cm.

Pedicels

reflexed in fruit, 1–3 mm;

bracteoles broadly triangular, membranous, to 0.5 mm.

straight, to 0.2 mm;

bracteoles linear, to 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.

6–8.5 mm;

calyx tubular-obconic, 3–4 mm, glabrous, veins 10–12, tube 1.5–2 mm, lobes equal, triangular-ovate, spreading to recurved in fruit, orifice open;

corolla pink, 6–8 mm, banner obovate, 6–8 × 1–2 mm, apex acute.

Legumes

stipitate, obovoid, 3–4 mm.

obovoid, 2–3 mm.

Seeds

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

2, brown, reniform, 1 mm, tuberculate.

2n

= 16.

= 14, 16.

Trifolium bifidum

Trifolium glomeratum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Open woodlands, fields, road­sides, slopes, stream margins, meadows. Roadsides, lawns, thin grass­lands.
Elevation 0–1200 m. (0–3900 ft.) 0–500 m. (0–1600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; CA; OR; SC; TX; BC; Europe; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in s South America, s Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[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 glomeratum is cultivated occasionally as a forage crop (F. J. Hermann 1953) and sometimes spreads.

(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. 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. 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
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 3: 102. (1864) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 770. (1753)
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