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Lemmon's clover

small-head clover

Habit Herbs perennial, subcaulescent, 10–20 cm, appressed-pubescent. Herbs annual, 3–55 cm, densely to sparsely pubescent.
Stems

cespitose, branched.

erect to ascending, branched.

Leaves

palmate;

stipules ovate to lanceolate, 0.8–1 cm, margins irregularly lobed, apex acuminate;

petiole 1–16.5 cm;

petiolules 0.5 mm;

leaflets 3–7, blades obovate or elliptic, 0.9–1.9 × 0.5–0.8 cm, base cuneate, veins prominent abaxially, margins coarsely dentate, apex rounded, acute, or mucronate, surfaces strigose.

palmate;

stipules obliquely ovate, 0.4–1.2 cm, margins entire or slightly serrate, apex acuminate;

petiole 1–5 cm;

petiolules 0.5 mm;

leaflets 3, blades oblanceolate, obovate, or obcordate, 0.4–1.7 × 0.3–1.1 cm, base cuneate, veins fine or slightly thickened, margins setose, often dentate distally, apex usually retuse, rarely rounded, surfaces villous.

Inflorescences

terminal or axillary, 15–30-flowered, globose to subglobose, 2–3 × 2–3 cm;

involucres a narrow membranous, dentate rim, to 0.2 mm.

axillary or terminal, 10–40-flowered, globose, 0.5–1.3 × 0.4–1.2 cm;

involucres flattened or bowl-shaped, 0.4–1 cm, when folded, nearly completely hiding calyces, villous, incised 1/2 their length, lobes 5–12, lanceolate-ovate, entire or slightly toothed proximally, acuminate.

Peduncles

sharply bent distally, just below flowers, 5–15 cm, surpassing leaves.

1–8 cm.

Pedicels

reflexed in fruit, 2–3 mm;

bracteoles minute, cuplike, membranous, minute.

absent;

bracteoles absent.

Flowers

11–13 mm;

calyx purple, campanulate, 3–5 mm, slightly pilose, veins 5 (obscure), tube 2–2.5 mm, lobes subequal, subulate, orifice open;

corolla white to pink, 10–12 mm, banner oblong-obovate, 10–12 × 4–5 mm, apex rounded, emarginate.

4–6 mm;

calyx campanulate-tubular, 3–5.5 mm, pubescent, veins 10, tube 1.8–2.5 mm, lobes ± equal, triangular-aristate, margins hyaline, wavy, orifice open;

corolla white or pink to lavender, 4–6 mm, banner oblong, 3–6 × 1–2 mm, apex emarginate.

Legumes

oblong, 3.2–3.5 mm.

broadly ellipsoid, 1.5–2 mm.

Seeds

1, dark brown, ellipsoid, 2.5–3 mm, smooth.

1, yellow, reddish mottled, oblong, 1.5 mm, smooth.

2n

= 16.

Trifolium lemmonii

Trifolium microcephalum

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Mar–Jul.
Habitat Dry, rocky soils, roadsides. Meadows, roadsides, stream banks, forest clearings, grassy slopes.
Elevation 1500–2500 m. (4900–8200 ft.) 0–2500 m. (0–8200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; WA; BC; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Populations of Trifolium lemmonii studied by S. J. Sommer (1999) fall into two groups, east (in Sierra County, California, and Washoe County, Nevada) and west (in Plumas County, California) of a gap where no suitable habitat is known; gene flow between these two regions appears to be limited.

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

Trifolium microcephalum is common in much of its range in California and northward into Oregon, and is rare in much of the rest of its range. It is closely allied with the Chilean T. vernum Philippi (N. W. Ellison et al. 2006), which it resembles greatly, and from which it is distinguished by its shorter calyx lobes (M. Zohary and D. Heller 1984).

(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. hirtum, T. howellii, T. hybridum, T. hydrophilum, T. incarnatum, T. jokerstii, T. kentuckiense, T. kingii, T. lappaceum, T. latifolium, T. leibergii, 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. 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. 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 Lupinaster lemmonii Lojaconoa microcephala, T. microcephalum var. bipedale, T. microcephalum var. lemmonii
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 11: 127. (1876) — (as lemmoni) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 478. (1813)
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