Trifolium nanum |
Trifolium ornithopodioides |
|
---|---|---|
dwarf clover |
bird clover |
|
Habit | Herbs perennial, 4–10 cm, glabrous. | Herbs annual, 5–50 cm, glabrous or glabrescent. |
Stems | cespitose, matted, acaulescent. |
procumbent, ascending, or erect, branched. |
Leaves | palmate; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 1–2 cm, margins entire, apex acuminate, sometimes forked; petiole 0.3–2.5 cm; petiolules to 0.2 mm; leaflets 3, blades oblanceolate or obovate, 0.3–1.2 × 0.1–0.5 cm, base cuneate, veins ± thickened, margins toothed, apex acute or acuminate, surfaces glabrous. |
palmate; stipules obovate-lanceolate, 0.5–0.8 cm, margins entire, apex subulate or cuspidate; petiole 4–10 cm; petiolules 0.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades obcordate or obovate, 0.6–1 × 0.4–0.6 cm, base cuneate, veins fine, margins finely serrate, apex truncate or emarginate, surfaces glabrous. |
Inflorescences | terminal or axillary, 1–4-flowered, umbellate, 1.5–2 × 0.5–1 cm, rachis not prolonged beyond flowers; involucres a narrow, membranous, dentate rim, 1 mm. |
axillary, 1–5-flowered, loose, oblong, 0.5–1.2 × 0.1–0.5 cm; involucres absent or bracteoles shallow, cuplike, ± equaling pedicels. |
Peduncles | 0.5–3 cm. |
0.5–2 cm. |
Pedicels | erect, 1 mm; bracteoles cuplike, membranous, 0.5–1 mm. |
straight or slightly reflexed, 1–3 mm; bracteoles lanceolate, 1 mm. |
Flowers | 15–20 mm; calyx campanulate, 4–7 mm, glabrous, veins 5–10, tube 3–4 mm, lobes equal, triangular-acuminate, orifice open; corolla purple or violet, 15–20 mm, banner oblong, 15–20 × 7–9 mm, apex rounded, slightly retuse. |
5–10 mm; calyx campanulate, 4–4.5 mm, glabrous, veins 10, tube 2.5–3 mm, lobes unequal, triangular, orifice open; corolla pink or white, 5–9 mm, banner oblong, 5–9 × 2–3 mm, apex rounded. |
Legumes | oblanceoloid, 9–11 mm. |
stipitate, ellipsoid-oblong, 6–10 mm. |
Seeds | 4–6, tan or brown, mitten-shaped, 2–2.2 mm, smooth, dull. |
4–9, black or dark brown, ellipsoid-globose, 1–1.5 mm, smooth, glossy. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Trifolium nanum |
Trifolium ornithopodioides |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jun–Aug. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Alpine slopes, tundra. | Coastal slopes, roadsides. |
Elevation | 2600–4500 m. (8500–14800 ft.) | 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.) |
Distribution |
CO; MT; NM; UT; WY
|
NB; Europe; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia] |
Discussion | Trifolium nanum is abundant in alpine tundra areas from Montana through Wyoming and Utah into Colorado (where it is most common) and northern New Mexico; populations are morphologically variable with regard to leaf size and petiole length, and this variability appears to be related to water availability (J. M. Gillett 1965). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Trifolium ornithopodioides comprises small plants and has been considered a member of Trigonella by some authors; molecular studies by N. W. Ellison et al. (2006) showed that it is nested within Trifolium. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 11. | FNA vol. 11. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Melilotus ornithopodioides, Trigonella ornithopodioides | |
Name authority | Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 1: 35, plate 3, fig. 4. (1824) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 766. (1753) — (as M. ornithopodioides) |
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