The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

notch-leaf clover, Pinole clover, piñole clover

lean clover

Habit Herbs annual, 5–55 cm, sparsely pubescent or glabrous. Herbs perennial, 12–38 cm, glabrous.
Stems

erect, branched.

erect, ascending, or decumbent, unbranched or branched distally.

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 lanceolate-elliptic on basal leaves, triangular-ovate on distal leaves, 0.8–3 cm, margins entire, apex acute or acuminate;

petiole 1–15 cm;

petiolules 1 mm;

leaflets 3, blades ovate, rhombic, or lanceolate, 1–4.5 × 0.3–2.5 cm, thin, base cuneate, veins prominent, margins serrate, those of basal leaves setose and/or dentate, apex rounded or acute, 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.

terminal or axillary, 20–40-flowered, ovoid or obovoid, 2–4 × 1.4–3.5 cm, rachis internodes between floral whorls elongated;

involucres absent.

Peduncles

3–8 cm.

4–15 cm.

Pedicels

reflexed in fruit, 1–3 mm;

bracteoles broadly triangular, membranous, to 0.5 mm.

reflexed, to 1 mm;

bracteoles minute, blunt.

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.

14–17 mm;

calyx campanulate, 4–5.7 mm, sparsely hairy, veins 10, tube 2–3.5 mm, lobes unequal, shorter than tube, narrowly triangular, orifice open;

corolla violet or deep purple, 14–17 mm, banner ovate-oblong, 14–16 × 8–10 mm, apex rounded or slightly emarginate.

Legumes

stipitate, obovoid, 3–4 mm.

oblong or clavate, 4–5 mm.

Seeds

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

1–3, brown, flattened ovoid, 2 mm, smooth or slightly roughened, dull.

2n

= 16.

Trifolium bifidum

Trifolium macilentum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Open woodlands, fields, road­sides, slopes, stream margins, meadows. Dry hillsides.
Elevation 0–1200 m. (0–3900 ft.) 1200–2800 m. (3900–9200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NV; UT
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 macilentum and morphologically similar species (T. dedeckerae, T. kingii, T. productum, and T. rollinsii) have been treated in diverse ways. J. M. Gillett (1972) recognized the latter four as distinct and considered T. macilentum a subspecies of T. kingii. D. Isely (1998) recognized T. kingii, T. macilentum, and T. productum, and considered T. dedeckerae and T. rollinsii to be varieties of T. macilentum. R. C. Barneby (1989) treated these as two species, T. kingii (with T. productum in synonymy) and T. macilentum (with T. dedeckerae and T. rollinsii as varieties). M. Zohary and D. Heller (1984) recognized T. kingii, with the other four taxa considered subspecies. As treated here, T. macilentum is known from extreme southwestern Utah and adjacent Nevada.

(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. 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. 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) Greene: Pittonia 3: 223. (1897)
Web links