Trifolium dubium |
Trifolium dedeckerae |
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least hop clover, lesser hop clover, lesser hop trefoil, little hop clover, shamrock, small hop-clover, suckling clover |
Dedecker's clover |
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Habit | Herbs annual, 20–40 cm, glabrous or sparsely hairy. | Herbs perennial, 20–25 cm, glabrous. |
Stems | erect to prostrate, branched from base. |
± erect, loosely cespitose, branched. |
Leaves | pinnate; stipules ovate, 0.3–0.5 cm, margins entire, apex acute; petiole to 1.5 cm; lateral leaflet petiolules to 0.5 mm, terminal leaflet stalk 1–1.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades obovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 1–2 × 0.5–1.5 cm, base cuneate, lateral veins prominent, ± parallel, ascending, margins dentate distally, apex rounded or retuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely hairy. |
basal and cauline, palmate; stipules ovate, 1.1–1.5 cm, margins entire, apex acuminate-subulate; petiole 5–15 cm; petiolules absent; leaflets 3, blades lanceolate to linear, 2–4 × 0.1–0.6 cm, base cuneate, veins prominent, margins remotely serrate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous. |
Inflorescences | axillary or terminal, 5–20-flowered, ovoid or globose, 0.5–0.9 × 0.6 cm; involucres absent. |
terminal or axillary, 10–18-flowered, ellipsoid to subglobose, 1.8–2.2 × 2.3–2.5 cm, rachis prolonged beyond flowers, undivided or forked, often bearing sterile flower buds distally; involucres absent. |
Peduncles | 1–1.5 cm. |
7–16 cm, slightly twisted apically. |
Pedicels | reflexed, 0.2–0.5 mm; bracteoles a fringe of red setae. |
strongly reflexed in fruit, 0.5 mm; bracteoles minute. |
Flowers | 2.8–3.5 mm; calyx campanulate, 1.5–2 mm, glabrous, veins 5, tube 0.8–1 mm, lobes unequal, longer than tube, adaxial 2 shorter, orifice open; corolla pale yellow becoming brown, 2.6–3.2 mm, not or slightly ribbed, banner persistent, spatulate, 2.6–3.2 × 2 mm, apex rounded to broadly acute. |
13–15 mm; calyx tubular-campanulate, 6–8.5 mm, glabrous, veins 10, tube 2–2.5 mm, lobes unequal, triangular-subulate, orifice open; corolla pink to purple, 15 mm, banner oblong, 14–16 × 6–7 mm, apex acute or apiculate. |
Legumes | stipitate, ellipsoid, 1.5–2 mm, short beaked. |
ellipsoid, 5 mm. |
Seeds | 1, yellow or pale brown, ellipsoid, 0.9–1 mm, smooth, glossy. |
1 or 2, brown, flattened ovoid, 2 mm, smooth. |
2n | = 16, 28, 32. |
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Trifolium dubium |
Trifolium dedeckerae |
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Phenology | Flowering May–Oct. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Disturbed ground, fields. | Rock crevices, dry slopes. |
Elevation | 0–2300 m. (0–7500 ft.) | 2100–3400 m. (6900–11200 ft.) |
Distribution |
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; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; BC; NB; NS; ON; PE; QC; SPM; c Europe; s Europe; w Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in s South America, e Asia (e China), n, s Africa, Pacific Islands (Hawaii, New Zealand), Australia]
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CA |
Discussion | Trifolium dubium is often confused with Medicago lupulina Linnaeus; the latter may be distinguished by its toothed stipules, deciduous corollas, and shiny, black fruits. Little hop clover may be the co-called shamrock of Irish folklore (E. C. Nelson 1991; P. S. Wyse Jackson 2014); other candidates include other species of Trifolium or species of Medicago or Oxalis. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Trifolium dedeckerae is known from Inyo, Kern, Mono, and Tulare counties. It is similar to T. macilentum and T. productum, from which it differs by its much narrower leaflets (J. M. Gillett 1972). (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 | Chrysaspis dubia, T. minus | T. kingii subsp. dedeckerae, T. macilentum var. dedeckerae |
Name authority | Sibthorp: Fl. Oxon., 231. (1794) | J. M. Gillett: Madroño 21: 451, fig. 1. (1972) |
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