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variegated clover, white-tip clover

Habit Herbs annual, 1.5–48+ cm, glabrous.
Stems

usually erect, ascending, or prostrate, branched.

Leaves

palmate;

stipules lanceolate or ovate, 0.3–1 cm, margins lacerate, apex acute to acuminate;

petiole 1–9 cm;

petiolules to 0.8 mm;

leaflets 3, blades elliptic, obovate, oblanceolate, or obcordate, 0.2–5 × 0.1–1.2 cm, base cuneate, veins thickened, margins denticulate, apex acute or retuse, surfaces glabrous.

Inflorescences

terminal or axillary, 1–20+-flowered, subglobose or globose, 0.5–1.3 × 0.1–1 cm;

involucres flat, 2–6 mm, incised 1/2 their length, lobes 2–7, lacerate.

Peduncles

0.5–5 cm.

Pedicels

straight, to 0.5 mm;

bracteoles absent.

Flowers

5–11 mm;

calyx campanulate, not slit between adaxial lobes, 1.9–2.4 mm, glabrous, veins 10–20, tube 1.5–4 mm, lobes subequal, narrowly triangular, margins usually entire, rarely with a small lateral tooth, orifice open;

corolla purple, usually white-tipped, 3–10 mm, banner obovate, 3–10 × 0.6–2.6 mm, apex emarginate.

Legumes

oblong or ellipsoid, 2–4 mm.

Seeds

2, blackish brown, sometimes mottled, ovoid or ellipsoid, 1–1.6 mm, smooth.

2n

= 16.

Trifolium variegatum

Phenology Flowering Mar–Sep.
Habitat Wet places, coastal hills, mead­ows.
Elevation 0–2500 m. (0–8200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; BC; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Trifolium variegatum is widespread and morphologically variable (B. G. Foster and M. A. Vincent 2018). Because of this variability, T. variegatum and related species were treated as seven so-called phases by D. Isely (1998), who described these as ecotypic groups, some of which might deserve varietal or specific rank. C. S. Cooper (1957) considered T. variegatum a good choice for cultivation in wet areas for grazing and hay production.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa 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. 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. 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. vesiculosum, T. virginicum, T. willdenovii, T. wormskioldii
Synonyms T. dianthum, T. geminiflorum, T. melananthum, T. pusillum, T. spinulosum var. triste, T. subsalinum, T. tridentatum var. melananthum, T. ultramontanum, T. variegatum var. geminiflorum, T. variegatum var. melananthum
Name authority Nuttall in J. Torrey and A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 317. (1838)
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