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

field clover, hop clover, hop trefoil, low hop-clover, pinnate hop clover

pin point clover, slender clover

Habit Herbs annual, 5–40 cm, slightly villous or glabrous. Herbs annual, 2–60 cm, glabrous.
Stems

erect to ascending, branched.

erect or ascending, branched.

Leaves

pinnate;

stipules ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–0.8 cm, margins entire, glandular, apex acuminate;

petiole 0.3–2 cm;

lateral leaflet petiolules 0.5–0.6 mm, terminal leaflet stalk 3–5 mm;

leaflets 3, blades rhombic to obovate, 0.4–1.5 × 0.4–0.8 cm, base cuneate, lateral veins prominent, ± parallel, ascending, margins denticulate distally, apex truncate or retuse, surfaces strigose adaxially.

palmate;

stipules ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–2.5 cm, membranous, margins entire or slightly serrate, apex long-acuminate;

petiole 0.5–9 cm;

petiolules to 0.5 mm;

leaflets 3, blades obovate to obcordate, 0.5–2.5 × 0.2–1.5 cm, base cuneate, veins moderately thickened, margins setose-serrulate, apex rounded, shallowly retuse, surfaces glabrous.

Inflorescences

axillary, 30–60-flowered, globose or broadly ovoid, 0.8–1.5 × 0.7–1 cm;

involucres absent.

axillary or terminal, 10–25-flowered, globose to subglobose, 0.5–2 × 0.5–2 cm, rachis prolonged beyond flowers;

involucres a narrow, membranous, dentate rim, to 0.5 mm.

Peduncles

1.5–3.5 cm.

1–9 cm.

Pedicels

reflexed, 0.7–1.2 mm;

bracteoles a fringe of red setae.

becoming dramatically reflexed, 3–4 mm;

bracteoles low, cuplike, membranous, to 0.5 mm.

Flowers

4.3–5 mm;

calyx campanulate, strongly bilabiate, 1.3–1.5 mm, glabrous, veins 5, tube 0.3–0.6 mm, lobes unequal, adaxial deltate, very short, lateral and abaxial linear-subulate, each tipped with 1 or 2 stiff hairs, orifice open;

corolla yellow becoming brown, 3.5–6 mm, ribbed, banner persistent, obovate, enveloping other petals, boat-shaped, 4.3–5 × 2.8–3.2 mm, apex broad, acute.

5–7.5 mm;

calyx narrowly campanulate, 4.5–6.5 mm, glabrous, veins 10, tube 2–2.5 mm, lobes unequal, long-triangular, margins green or purple, orifice open;

corolla white, pink, or purple, 5–8 mm, banner ovate, 5–8 × 3–4 mm, apex broadly rounded, retuse or apiculate.

Legumes

stipitate, oblong, 2–2.5 mm.

ovoid-ellipsoid, 4–6 mm.

Seeds

1 or 2, yellow, ellipsoid, 1–1.5 mm, smooth, lustrous.

1 or 2, tan to brown, mitten-shaped, 1.1–1.5 mm, smooth.

2n

= 14.

= 16.

Trifolium campestre

Trifolium gracilentum

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Mar–Jun.
Habitat Roadsides, fields. Open, grassy areas, gravelly ridges, roadsides, adobe slopes, moist places.
Elevation 0–1700 m. (0–5600 ft.) 50–1200 m. (200–3900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SPM; Europe; w Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America, e Asia (China), s Africa, Pacific Islands (Hawaii, New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; OR; WA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Trifolium filiforme Linnaeus and T. procumbens Linnaeus are rejected names that were used historically for T. campestre (J. E. Dandy 1958; N. J. Turland et al. 1996).

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

Abundance of Trifolium gracilentum increases in response to burns (J. M. DiTomaso et al. 1999).

The record of Trifolium gracilentum from South Carolina 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. bifidum, T. bolanderi, T. brandegeei, T. breweri, T. buckwestiorum, T. calcaricum, 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. 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 Chrysaspis campestris T. denudatum, T. exile, T. gracilentum var. exile, T. gracilentum var. inconspicuum, T. gracilentum var. reductum, T. inconspicuum
Name authority Schreber in G. F. Hoffmann: Deutschl. Fl. 4: 16, plate 253. (1804) Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 316. (1838)
Web links