Trifolium dasyphyllum |
Trifolium lemmonii |
|
---|---|---|
alpine clover |
Lemmon's clover |
|
Habit | Herbs perennial, 5–20 cm, appressed-pubescent. | Herbs perennial, subcaulescent, 10–20 cm, appressed-pubescent. |
Stems | cespitose, branched, numerous short stems. |
cespitose, branched. |
Leaves | palmate; stipules lanceolate-linear, 1.5–2 cm, margins entire, apex acuminate; petiole 0.6–3.5 cm; petiolules to 0.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades oblong-elliptic, oblanceolate, or obovate, sometimes folded, 0.6–3.2 × 0.2–0.6 cm, base cuneate, veins obscure, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces glabrous or hairy. |
palmate; stipules ovate to lanceolate, 0.8–1 cm, margins irregularly lobed, apex acuminate; petiole 1–16.5 cm; petiolules 0.5 mm; leaflets 3–7, blades obovate or elliptic, 0.9–1.9 × 0.5–0.8 cm, base cuneate, veins prominent abaxially, margins coarsely dentate, apex rounded, acute, or mucronate, surfaces strigose. |
Inflorescences | axillary or terminal, 5–16-flowered, globose, 1.5–3.5 × 1.2–3.3 cm; involucres formed of proximal bracteoles, bases sometimes connate. |
terminal or axillary, 15–30-flowered, globose to subglobose, 2–3 × 2–3 cm; involucres a narrow membranous, dentate rim, to 0.2 mm. |
Peduncles | 2–17 cm. |
sharply bent distally, just below flowers, 5–15 cm, surpassing leaves. |
Pedicels | erect, 1.5–2 mm; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, scarious, 2–6 mm, or scalelike. |
reflexed in fruit, 2–3 mm; bracteoles minute, cuplike, membranous, minute. |
Flowers | 12–16 mm; calyx campanulate, 6–9 mm, pubescent, veins 10, tube 2–5 mm, lobes unequal, linear-subulate, orifice open; corolla often bicolored cream and violet, sometimes all red-purple or violet, 1.2–1.6 mm, banner broadly elliptic-ovate, 11–15 × 4–5 mm, folded distally, apex rounded, apiculate; ovaries pubescent distally. |
11–13 mm; calyx purple, campanulate, 3–5 mm, slightly pilose, veins 5 (obscure), tube 2–2.5 mm, lobes subequal, subulate, orifice open; corolla white to pink, 10–12 mm, banner oblong-obovate, 10–12 × 4–5 mm, apex rounded, emarginate. |
Legumes | oblong, 4–6 mm. |
oblong, 3.2–3.5 mm. |
Seeds | 1–3, dark brown, ovoid-reniform, 2–2.5 mm, smooth. |
1, dark brown, ellipsoid, 2.5–3 mm, smooth. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Trifolium dasyphyllum |
Trifolium lemmonii |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jun–Aug. | Flowering Jul–Aug. |
Habitat | Alpine meadows, rocky slopes. | Dry, rocky soils, roadsides. |
Elevation | 2100–4100 m. (6900–13500 ft.) | 1500–2500 m. (4900–8200 ft.) |
Distribution |
CO; MT; NM; UT; WY
|
CA; NV
|
Discussion | Three subspecies of Trifolium dasyphyllum were recognized by J. M. Gillett (1965), but he commented on the overlap in diagnostic characters of the subspecies. In their monograph of Trifolium, M. Zohary and D. Heller (1984) mirrored the treatment by Gillett, and also commented on intermediacy of characters in some specimens. The subspecies were not accepted by R. D. Dorn (1988), citing extensive intergradation, or by R. C. Barneby (1989), citing variability within T. dasyphyllum that is not linked with distribution or other morphological features. Trifolium dasyphyllum is found from eastern Utah and from Santa Fe County in New Mexico northward through central Colorado to central and northwestern Wyoming and Cascade, Gallatin, and Madison counties in Montana. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Populations of Trifolium lemmonii studied by S. J. Sommer (1999) fall into two groups, east (in Sierra County, California, and Washoe County, Nevada) and west (in Plumas County, California) of a gap where no suitable habitat is known; gene flow between these two regions appears to be limited. (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 | ||
Synonyms | T. anemophilum, T. dasyphyllum subsp. anemophilum, T. dasyphyllum subsp. uintense, T. dasyphyllum var. uintense, T. lividum, T. scariosum, T. uintense | Lupinaster lemmonii |
Name authority | Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 315. (1838) | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 11: 127. (1876) — (as lemmoni) |
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