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least hop clover, lesser hop clover, lesser hop trefoil, little hop clover, shamrock, small hop-clover, suckling clover

hollyleaf clover, Nuttall's clover

Habit Herbs annual, 20–40 cm, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Herbs perennial, 2–15 cm, pubescent.
Stems

erect to prostrate, branched from base.

cespitose, numerous, short, branched from woody crown.

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.

palmate;

stipules ovate to lanceolate, 0.5–1.5 cm, margins entire or irregularly dentate, apex acute to acuminate;

petiole 1.5–10 cm;

petiolules to 0.5 mm;

leaflets 3–5, blades ovate, obovate, oblong, or elliptic, 0.8–3 × 0.2–1.8 cm, base cuneate, veins thickened distally, margins spinose-dentate, apex rounded or acute, surfaces usually pubescent, sometimes glabrous adaxially.

Inflorescences

axillary or terminal, 5–20-flowered, ovoid or globose, 0.5–0.9 × 0.6 cm;

involucres absent.

terminal, 6–15-flowered, subglobose, 1–2 × 1.3–2.4 cm;

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

Peduncles

1–1.5 cm.

1–6.5 cm, ± surpassing leaves, not bent distally.

Pedicels

reflexed, 0.2–0.5 mm;

bracteoles a fringe of red setae.

erect, those of proximal flowers sometimes reflexed, 1–4 mm;

bracteoles ovate-triangular, to 0.8 mm.

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.

7.5–13 mm;

calyx tubular-campanulate, 4–7.5 mm, strigose, veins 10, tube 2–3 mm, lobes subequal, narrowly triangular, orifice open;

corolla pink-purple, often with whitish tips, sometimes nearly wholly whitish, 7–12 mm, banner oblong, 7–14 × 5–7 mm, apex rounded, usually retuse.

Legumes

stipitate, ellipsoid, 1.5–2 mm, short beaked.

ovoid, 4–5 mm.

Seeds

1, yellow or pale brown, ellipsoid, 0.9–1 mm, smooth, glossy.

1, tan to brown, mitten-shaped, 3–4.5 mm, roughened.

2n

= 16, 28, 32.

Trifolium dubium

Trifolium gymnocarpon

Phenology Flowering May–Oct. Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Disturbed ground, fields. Rocky slopes, clay or gumbo soils on plains.
Elevation 0–2300 m. (0–7500 ft.) 1500–3500 m. (4900–11500 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; 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]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Two loosely differentiated varieties or subspecies of Trifolium gymnocarpon have sometimes been recognized: var. plummerae with three to five adaxially pilose leaflets, and var. gymnocarpon with three adaxially glabrous leaflets (J. M. Gillett 1972; D. Isely 1998). There is considerable overlap among characters, and other authors have rejected the distinction (M. Zohary and D. Heller 1984; R. C. Barneby 1989).

(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. campestre, T. carolinianum, T. cernuum, T. ciliolatum, T. columbinum, T. cyathiferum, T. dasyphyllum, T. dedeckerae, T. depauperatum, T. dichotomum, T. douglasii, 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. 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 dubia, T. minus T. gymnocarpon var. plummerae, T. gymnocarpon var. subcaulescens, T. nemorale, T. plummerae, T. subcaulescens
Name authority Sibthorp: Fl. Oxon., 231. (1794) Nuttall in J. Torrey and A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 320. (1838)
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