Trifolium howellii |
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canyon clover, Howell's clover |
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Habit | Herbs perennial, 30–100 cm, glabrous. |
Stems | erect, fistulose, unbranched or branched distally. |
Leaves | palmate; stipules ovate, 1.5–4.5 cm, margins usually entire, sometimes lobed, apex acuminate; petiole 0.5–20 cm; petiolules 1–1.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades ovate, elliptic, or rhombic, 3.5–9.5 × 2.3–5 cm, base cuneate, veins obscure, margins ± serrate, apex acute, rounded, or obtuse, surfaces glabrous. |
Inflorescences | terminal or axillary, 20–70-flowered, globose or ellipsoid, 2.5–4 × 2–2.5 cm, rachis prolonged beyond flowers, undivided or forked, often bearing sterile flower buds distally; involucres absent. |
Peduncles | 3–11 cm. |
Pedicels | strongly reflexed in fruit, 1 mm; bracteoles minute, blunt or acute, membranous. |
Flowers | 10–14 mm; calyx campanulate, gibbous, 4–5.5 mm, glabrous, veins 10, tube 2–2.5 mm, lobes subequal, linear-lanceolate, orifice open; corolla white, lemon yellow, or greenish yellow, 11–12 mm, banner elliptic-oblong, 11–12 × 4–5 mm, apex obtuse. |
Legumes | oblong or clavate, 4–5 mm. |
Seeds | 1–3, reddish black or brown, angular, mitten-shaped, 2.5 mm, smooth or slightly roughened, dull. |
Trifolium howellii |
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Phenology | Flowering Jun–Jul. |
Habitat | Wet stream banks, wet meadows, flood plains, shady woodlands, springs, thickets. |
Elevation | 800–2000 m. (2600–6600 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA; OR
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Discussion | Trifolium howellii is known from Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties in California, and Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, and Linn counties in Oregon (J. M. Gillett 1972). It has some of the largest leaves of any species of Trifolium in North America. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 11. |
Parent taxa | Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Trifolium |
Sibling taxa | |
Name authority | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 23: 262. (1888) |
Web links |