Trifolium macraei |
Trifolium echinatum |
|
---|---|---|
Chilean clover, Macrae's clover |
prickly clover |
|
Habit | Herbs annual, 3–30 cm, pubescent. | Herbs annual, 10–50 cm, appressed-hairy. |
Stems | erect, ascending, or prostrate, branched. |
erect or ascending, branched from base. |
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-lanceolate, 0.4–0.8 cm, margins entire, apex acuminate, flared outward; petiole 0.5–6 cm; petiolules 1+ mm; leaflets 3, blades obovate, elliptic, or narrowly elliptic, 0.8–2.5 × 0.4–1.6 cm, base cuneate, veins prominent, thickened abaxially, margins denticulate or serrate, apex rounded, acute, or apiculate, surfaces sparsely hairy. |
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. |
terminal and axillary, 15–50-flowered, obconic or obovoid, 1–2 × 1–1.6 cm; involucres absent. |
Peduncles | 0–0.2 cm. |
0.8–2 cm. |
Pedicels | absent; bracteoles broadly ovate to linear, 1–2 mm. |
absent; bracteoles absent. |
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. |
9–11 mm; calyx campanulate, 5–8 mm, glabrescent, veins 10, tube 2–3 mm, lobes unequal, triangular-elliptic, stellate-spreading, orifice closed by bilabiate callosities; corolla creamy white, 8–10 mm, banner oblong-spatulate, 8–10 × 2–3 mm, apex acute. |
Legumes | oblong, 2.5–3 mm. |
obovoid, leathery distally, transversely dehiscent, 1.6–2 mm. |
Seeds | 1, yellow, mottled, ellipsoid, 1.6–2 mm, smooth. |
1, tan or brown, ovoid, 1.2–1.4 mm, smooth, glossy. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Trifolium macraei |
Trifolium echinatum |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Jun. | Flowering Mar–Jun. |
Habitat | Grassy fields, sandy ocean bluffs. | Disturbed roadsides, fields. |
Elevation | 0–800 m. (0–2600 ft.) | 100–300 m. (300–1000 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA; OR; South America (Chile)
|
AL; LA; c Europe; s Europe; w Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America] |
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 echinatum was recently discovered in Ouachita Parish in a disturbed construction area; an older record (1902) from ballast in Portland, Oregon, appears to have been 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 | |
Name authority | Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Misc. 3: 179. (1833) | M. Bieberstein: Fl. Taur.-Caucas. 2: 216. (1808) |
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