Herbs perennial, 3–10 cm, pilose. Stems cespitose, pros­trate, branched from crown. Leaves palmate; stipules oblan­ceolate to ovate, 1–1.5 cm, margins entire, apex acute-acuminate; petiole 5–10 cm; petiolules to 1 mm; leaflets 3, blades linear-elliptic, elliptic, narrowly oblong, or lanceolate, 1–7 × 0.4–1 cm, base cuneate, veins fine or thickened, margins entire or serrulate, apex truncate to acute, surfaces pubescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially. Peduncles 2–6 cm. Inflo­rescences terminal or axillary, 20–40-flowered, becom­ing supine in fruit, globose, 1.5–3.5 × 1.5–3 cm; invo­lucres absent. Pedicels reflexed in fruit, 3–8 mm; bracteoles ovate or lanceolate-linear, to 1 mm. Flowers 10–12 mm; calyx campanulate, 4–7 mm, pilose, veins 10, tube 1.5–3 mm, lobes equal, subulate, orifice open; corolla white, sometimes becoming pink to red, 10–12 mm, banner obovate-oblong, 10–12 × 4–5 mm, apex rounded, retuse or mucronate. Legumes stipitate, obovoid, 4–7.5 mm. Seeds 1, yellow-brown, mitten-shaped, 1.8–2.1 mm, rugose. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat: Shale barren slopes.
Elevation: 400–1200 m.

Distribution

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Md., Pa., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Trifolium virginicum is an endemic species of shale barrens in the Appalachian Mountains, from Bedford, Franklin, and Fulton counties in Pennsylvania, south­ward through eastern West Virginia and western Maryland, to northwestern Virginia.

Genetic similarity is high among populations of Trifolium virginicum, and gene flow appears to be low (T. M. Linscott 1994).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.