The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Chilean clover, Macrae's clover

pine clover, pinewoods clover, woods clover

Habit Herbs annual, 3–30 cm, pubescent. Herbs perennial, 5–30 cm, glabrous or sparsely pilose; rhizomes absent, roots stout, branched.
Stems

erect, ascending, or prostrate, branched.

prostrate to ascending, 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 lanceolate-ovate, 0.7–1.3 cm, margins entire, apex acuminate;

petiole 1–8.5 cm;

petiolules 1–1.5 mm;

leaflets 3, blades oblanceolate or obovate, 0.5–2.9 × 0.4–1.3 cm, base cuneate, veins prominent, margins denticulate to spinulose, apex usually rounded or truncate, sometimes retuse, surfaces glabrous.

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, 10–20-flowered, obconic, globose, or subglobose, 1.7–2.5 × 1.–1.5 cm;

involucres broadly campanulate, 6–8 mm, incised ± 3/4 their length, lobes 15–20, linear-lanceolate, entire, acuminate.

Peduncles

0–0.2 cm.

4–6 cm.

Pedicels

absent;

bracteoles broadly ovate to linear, 1–2 mm.

erect to slightly reflexed, 1–2 mm;

bracteoles ovate, 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.

10–16 mm;

calyx campanulate, 6–10 mm, glabrous, veins 10, tube 2–2.3 mm, lobes ± equal, subulate, 3–5 mm, orifice open;

corolla white to pale purple, keel petals with dark purple-red tips, 11–13 mm, banner oblong, 11–13 × 4–5 mm, apex retuse.

Legumes

oblong, 2.5–3 mm.

short-stipitate, oblong, 3.5–5 mm.

Seeds

1, yellow, mottled, ellipsoid, 1.6–2 mm, smooth.

1 or 2, olive-brown, mottled purple, oblong, 1.5 mm, smooth, semiglossy.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Trifolium macraei

Trifolium pinetorum

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering Jun–Oct.
Habitat Grassy fields, sandy ocean bluffs. Disturbed areas in pine, fir, or spruce forests.
Elevation 0–800 m. (0–2600 ft.) 2300–2800 m. (7500–9200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; South America (Chile)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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 pinetorum is found in Cochise, Coconino, Pima, and Santa Cruz counties in Arizona, and Catron, Grant, Lincoln, and Otero counties in New Mexico, as well as the Sierra Madre in Chihuahua, Mexico. It occupies disturbed areas in pine-fir-spruce forests, and has adapted well to anthropogenic disturbances, such as roadsides and other graded areas (J. M. Gillett 1980).

(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. lemmonii, T. longipes, T. lupinaster, T. macilentum, 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. microcephalum, T. microdon, T. monanthum, T. mucronatum, T. nanum, T. nigrescens, T. obtusiflorum, T. oliganthum, T. ornithopodioides, T. owyheense, T. palmeri, T. parryi, 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 T. bicephalum, T. catalinae, T. mercedense, T. traskiae T. longicaule, T. willdenovii var. longicaule, T. wormskioldii var. longicaule
Name authority Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Misc. 3: 179. (1833) Greene: Erythea 2: 182. (1894)
Web links