Trifolium macrocephalum |
Trifolium kentuckiense |
|
---|---|---|
big-head clover, large-head clover |
Kentucky clover |
|
Habit | Herbs perennial, 5–25 cm, villous. | Herbs annual or biennial, 10–30 cm, glabrous. |
Stems | erect or ascending, branched. |
decumbent, branched. |
Leaves | palmate; stipules ovate, obovate, or oblong, 1–3 cm, margins entire, irregularly lobed, or serrate, apex acute or acuminate; petiole 1–14 cm; petiolules 0.9–1.2 mm; leaflets (5–)7–9, blades broadly to narrowly obovate, often folded, 1–2.7 × 0.4–1.1 cm, base cuneate, veins thickened, especially distally, margins serrulate, apex rounded or truncate, apiculate, surfaces villous abaxially, sparsely villous to glabrate adaxially. |
palmate; stipules broadly ovate, 1.3–1.7 cm, margins entire or faintly denticulate, apex acuminate; petiole 7–17 cm (distalmost 6–8 cm); petiolules 1–1.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades ovate or orbiculate, 0.8–3.5 × 0.5–1.9 cm, base cuneate, veins fine, margins dentate to denticulate, apex rounded or obcordate, surfaces glabrous. |
Inflorescences | terminal, 20–32-flowered, globose or ovoid-ellipsoid, 2.5–8 × 3–7 cm; involucres absent. |
terminal, 20–50-flowered, globose becoming subglobose or hemispheric, 1.2–2.5 × 1.8–2.7 cm; involucres a narrow rim. |
Peduncles | 2–8 cm. |
2.2–2.5 cm. |
Pedicels | erect, 1–1.5 mm; bracteoles broadly ovate, membranous, to 0.5 mm, truncate. |
reflexed in fruit, 5–7 mm; bracteoles broadly ovate, membranous, to 0.5 mm, truncate. |
Flowers | 20–30 mm; calyx campanulate, 10–22 mm, villous, veins 10–15, tube 2.5–4 mm, lobes subequal, subulate, plumose, orifice open; corolla white, creamy white, or pinkish, keel petals deep pink, 20–28 mm, banner ovate or oblong, 20–28 × 10–13 mm, apex rounded or slightly emarginate. |
9–11 mm; calyx campanulate, 3–5 mm, sparsely pubescent or glabrous, veins 10, tube 1–2 mm, lobes equal, narrowly triangular to subulate, 2–3.7 mm, orifice open; corolla white, 9–10 mm, banner ovate-oblong, 9–10 × 6–8 mm, apex rounded or retuse. |
Legumes | ovoid, 4–5 mm. |
oblong, 3–4 mm. |
Seeds | 1 or 2, yellow or reddish, mitten-shaped to ellipsoid, 2.5–3 mm, smooth. |
2–4, yellow to brown, purple-mottled, globose, 1.2–1.5 mm, slightly rugose. |
2n | = 32, 48. |
|
Trifolium macrocephalum |
Trifolium kentuckiense |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jun. | Flowering Apr–May. |
Habitat | Rocky places, hard, compacted clay-gumbo, lava beds, sage-covered slopes, full sun. | Cedar glades. |
Elevation | 80–2500 m. [260–8200 ft.] | 150–300 m. [500–1000 ft.] |
Distribution |
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
|
KY |
Discussion | Trifolium macrocephalum has the largest inflorescences of any clover. Trifolium megacephalum Nuttall (1818) is an illegitimate replacement name for Lupinaster macrocephalum Pursh. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
According to Chapel and Vincent, Trifolium kentuckiense, endemic to the Bluegrass region, has been found in only one population in each of Fayette and Franklin counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 11. | FNA vol. 11. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Lupinaster macrocephalum | |
Name authority | (Pursh) Poiret in J. Lamarck et al.: Encycl., suppl. 5: 336. (1817) | Chapel & Vincent: Phytoneuron 2013-63: 4, figs. 3, 4. (2013) |
Web links |