Trifolium howellii |
Trifolium nanum |
|
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canyon clover, Howell's clover |
dwarf clover |
|
Habit | Herbs perennial, 30–100 cm, glabrous. | Herbs perennial, 4–10 cm, glabrous. |
Stems | erect, fistulose, unbranched or branched distally. |
cespitose, matted, acaulescent. |
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. |
palmate; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 1–2 cm, margins entire, apex acuminate, sometimes forked; petiole 0.3–2.5 cm; petiolules to 0.2 mm; leaflets 3, blades oblanceolate or obovate, 0.3–1.2 × 0.1–0.5 cm, base cuneate, veins ± thickened, margins toothed, apex acute or acuminate, 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. |
terminal or axillary, 1–4-flowered, umbellate, 1.5–2 × 0.5–1 cm, rachis not prolonged beyond flowers; involucres a narrow, membranous, dentate rim, 1 mm. |
Peduncles | 3–11 cm. |
0.5–3 cm. |
Pedicels | strongly reflexed in fruit, 1 mm; bracteoles minute, blunt or acute, membranous. |
erect, 1 mm; bracteoles cuplike, membranous, 0.5–1 mm. |
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. |
15–20 mm; calyx campanulate, 4–7 mm, glabrous, veins 5–10, tube 3–4 mm, lobes equal, triangular-acuminate, orifice open; corolla purple or violet, 15–20 mm, banner oblong, 15–20 × 7–9 mm, apex rounded, slightly retuse. |
Legumes | oblong or clavate, 4–5 mm. |
oblanceoloid, 9–11 mm. |
Seeds | 1–3, reddish black or brown, angular, mitten-shaped, 2.5 mm, smooth or slightly roughened, dull. |
4–6, tan or brown, mitten-shaped, 2–2.2 mm, smooth, dull. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Trifolium howellii |
Trifolium nanum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jun–Jul. | Flowering Jun–Aug. |
Habitat | Wet stream banks, wet meadows, flood plains, shady woodlands, springs, thickets. | Alpine slopes, tundra. |
Elevation | 800–2000 m. (2600–6600 ft.) | 2600–4500 m. (8500–14800 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA; OR
|
CO; MT; NM; UT; WY
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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.) |
Trifolium nanum is abundant in alpine tundra areas from Montana through Wyoming and Utah into Colorado (where it is most common) and northern New Mexico; populations are morphologically variable with regard to leaf size and petiole length, and this variability appears to be related to water availability (J. M. Gillett 1965). (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 | ||
Name authority | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 23: 262. (1888) | Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 1: 35, plate 3, fig. 4. (1824) |
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