Trifolium macraei |
Trifolium carolinianum |
|
---|---|---|
Chilean clover, Macrae's clover |
Carolina clover |
|
Habit | Herbs annual, 3–30 cm, pubescent. | Herbs annual, 5–30 cm, pilose. |
Stems | erect, ascending, or prostrate, branched. |
prostrate, ascending, or erect, branched. |
Leaves | palmate; stipules ovate to oblong, 0.6–1 cm, margins entire, apex acuminate to cuspidate; petiole 0.5–6 cm; petiolules to 0.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades obovate, oblanceolate, or elliptic, 0.6–1.6 × 0.3–1.2 cm, base cuneate, veins obscure or slightly thickened, margins subentire to serrate, apex rounded, retuse, surfaces pubescent. |
palmate; stipules ovate, 0.6–1 cm, margins entire or serrate, apex acuminate; petiole 2–5 cm; petiolules 1 mm; leaflets 3, blades obovate, 0.6–1.4 × 0.3–1.1 cm, base cuneate, veins moderately thickened, margins denticulate, apex rounded, sometimes retuse, surfaces glabrous except on veins abaxially. |
Inflorescences | terminal or subterminal, usually paired, sometimes one head slightly stalked, partially hidden by terminal leaves and stipules, 10–40-flowered, ovoid or subglobose, 0.8–2.5 × 0.5–2 cm; involucres absent, involucrelike structure formed from terminal leaves and stipules. |
axillary or terminal, 5–40-flowered, globose, 1–2 × 1–2 cm; involucres minute. |
Peduncles | 0–0.2 cm. |
± geniculate proximal to flowers, inflorescence appearing sideways or inverted, 3.5–10 cm. |
Pedicels | absent; bracteoles broadly ovate to linear, 1–2 mm. |
reflexed, 2–3 mm; bracteoles ovate or lanceolate, 0.5 mm. |
Flowers | 5.5–7.5 mm; calyx tubular, 4–5 mm, pubescent, veins 5–10, tube 1.5–2 mm, lobes subequal, subulate, orifice open; corolla usually purple or pink, rarely white, 5–7 mm, banner obovate-oblong, 6–7 × 2–3 mm, apex rounded, slightly denticulate. |
4.5–7 mm; calyx usually pink to magenta, campanulate, bilabiate, 3–4 mm, pilose, veins 5, slightly branched in lobes, tube 0.8–1 mm, lobes unequal, abaxial 3 lanceolate or linear, 0.8–1 mm, villous, adaxial 2 broadly triangular, 2.5–3 mm, orifice open; corolla creamy white, often pink-tinged, darkening in age, 4–4.5 mm, banner broadly ovate-rhombic, 4–4.5 × 3.8–4 mm, apex rounded, slightly erose. |
Legumes | oblong, 2.5–3 mm. |
oblong, 3–4 mm. |
Seeds | 1, yellow, mottled, ellipsoid, 1.6–2 mm, smooth. |
2–4, yellow-brown to brown, globose to mitten-shaped, 1.1–1.6 mm, rugose. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Trifolium macraei |
Trifolium carolinianum |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Jun. | Flowering Apr–Jun. |
Habitat | Grassy fields, sandy ocean bluffs. | Sandy soils in dry fields, lawns, open woods, disturbed ground, rocky slopes. |
Elevation | 0–800 m. (0–2600 ft.) | 0–400 m. (0–1300 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA; OR; South America (Chile)
|
AL; AR; DE; FL; GA; KS; LA; MO; MS; NC; OK; PA; SC; TX; VA
|
Discussion | Trifolium macraei was described from specimens collected in Chile; the South American plants have broader banners, smaller auricles on the wing petals, and styles that are barely curved upwards distally (D. Isely 1998). Further examination of the disjunct populations may reveal other differences and prompt reconsideration of the identity of North American specimens. The record from Massachusetts is a waif. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Trifolium arvense Walter (1788), a later homonym of T. arvense Linnaeus (1753), was considered a synonym of T. carolinianum by M. Zohary and D. Heller (1984). Trifolium repens Walter (1788, not Linnaeus 1753) is likely also a synonym of T. carolinianum. The record of the species from Vermont is a waif. (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 | ||
Synonyms | T. bicephalum, T. catalinae, T. mercedense, T. traskiae | Amoria caroliniana, T. oxypetalum, T. umbellatum |
Name authority | Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Misc. 3: 179. (1833) | Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 58. (1803) |
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