Trifolium mucronatum subsp. lacerum
Canad. J. Bot. 58: 1444. 1980.
Herbs perennial, 10–65 cm, glabrous; rhizomes absent or relatively short, roots taproots, slender. Stems erect or decumbent, sparsely branched. Leaves palmate; stipules lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 1.5–2 cm, margins toothed or lacerate, apex acuminate; petiole 1–3.5 cm; petiolules to 0.5 mm; leaflet blades linear, elliptic, or obovate, 0.8–2.5 × 0.1–0.3 cm, base cuneate, veins thickened, margins entire or finely serrate to setose-spinulose, apex acute or apiculate, surfaces glabrous. Peduncles 4–6 cm. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, 8–20-flowered, subglobose to globose, 1.5–2 × 1.5–4 cm; involucres broadly campanulate, 10–22 mm, incised to 3/4 their length, lobes 10+, triaristate to lacerate. Pedicels straight, 0.5 mm; bracteoles subulate or broadly wavy-margined, 2–3 mm. Flowers 12–20 mm; calyx tubular-conic, 5–7 mm, glabrous, veins 10, tube 2–2.5 mm, lobes ± equal, 6–8 mm, abaxial lobe longer than tube, orifice open; corolla white, lavender, or purple, sometimes with different colors within inflorescence, 11–13 mm, banner narrowly oblong [broadly obovate-oblong], 11–13 × 4 mm, apex rounded. Legumes oblong, 3–6 mm. Seeds 2–4, olive, reniform, 1.3–1.5 mm, smooth. 2n = 16.
Phenology: Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat: Damp meadows, seeps, along streams in pine forests.
Elevation: 700–2500 m.
Distribution
Ariz., Calif., Colo., N.Mex., Tex., Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora).
Discussion
The single California record for subsp. lacerum was collected in 1925 in Inyo County.
Selected References
None.