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rose clover

cluster clover

Habit Herbs annual, 10–35 cm, densely spreading-hairy. Herbs annual, 10–30 cm, glabrous.
Stems

curved-ascending, branched.

procumbent, decumbent, or ascending, branched.

Leaves

palmate;

stipules lanceolate-ovate, 0.8–1.8 cm, margins entire, apex long-setaceous;

petiole 0.5–5 cm;

petiolules 0.5 mm;

leaflets 3, blades obovate to oblong, 0.8–2.5 × 0.5–1.3 cm, base cuneate, veins prominent, closely-spaced, margins denticulate distally, apex rounded, surfaces densely spreading-hairy.

palmate;

stipules ovate, 1–1.5 cm, margins entire, apex subulate-setaceous;

petiole 0–7 cm;

petiolules to 0.5 mm;

leaflets 3, blades obovate or obcordate, 0.6–1.5 × 0.4–1 cm, base cuneate, veins thickened distally, margins spinulose-serrate, apex retuse or rounded, surfaces glabrous.

Inflorescences

terminal on branches, 10–50-flowered, globose or ovoid, disarticulating in fruit, 1.5–2.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm;

involucres absent, involucrelike structures formed by enlarged stipules.

axillary, 30+-flowered, globose, 0.8–1 × 0.8–1 cm;

involucres absent.

Peduncles

absent.

absent or to 0.1 cm.

Pedicels

absent;

bracteoles absent.

straight, to 0.2 mm;

bracteoles linear, to 0.5 mm.

Flowers

10–17 mm;

calyx campanulate, 7–11 mm, pilose, veins 20, tube 2–5 mm, lobes subequal, abaxial slightly longer, orifice hairy, open;

corolla purplish red, 10–14 mm, banner lanceolate, 10–14 × 1–2 mm, apex acute-acuminate.

6–8.5 mm;

calyx tubular-obconic, 3–4 mm, glabrous, veins 10–12, tube 1.5–2 mm, lobes equal, triangular-ovate, spreading to recurved in fruit, orifice open;

corolla pink, 6–8 mm, banner obovate, 6–8 × 1–2 mm, apex acute.

Legumes

ovoid, leathery distally, transversely dehiscent, 2–3 mm.

obovoid, 2–3 mm.

Seeds

1, tan or brown, globose-ellipsoid, 1.5–2 mm, smooth, glossy.

2, brown, reniform, 1 mm, tuberculate.

2n

= 10.

= 14, 16.

Trifolium hirtum

Trifolium glomeratum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Fields, roadsides. Roadsides, lawns, thin grass­lands.
Elevation 0–2100 m. (0–6900 ft.) 0–500 m. (0–1600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; CA; FL; LA; NC; OR; TN; VA; s Europe; w Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in s Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; CA; OR; SC; TX; BC; Europe; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in s South America, s Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Trifolium hirtum was first cultivated in California in the 1940s as a forage plant and as a nitrogen source in roadside grass plantings (R. M. Love 1985); it is now widespread in that state. It was reported for Kentucky by D. Isely (1998); no non-cultivated specimens have been seen from that state (M. A. Vincent 2001).

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

Trifolium glomeratum is cultivated occasionally as a forage crop (F. J. Hermann 1953) and sometimes spreads.

(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. dubium, T. echinatum, T. eriocephalum, T. fragiferum, T. friscanum, T. fucatum, T. glomeratum, T. gracilentum, T. grayi, T. gymnocarpon, T. haydenii, 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. 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
Name authority Allioni: Auct. Fl. Pedem., 20. (1789) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 770. (1753)
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