Trifolium reflexum
Sp. Pl. 2: 766. 1753.
Herbs annual or biennial, 10–60 cm, villous or glabrate. Stems erect or ascending, unbranched or branched. Leaves palmate; stipules broadly ovate, 1–2.5 cm, margins entire or denticulate, apex acute or acuminate; petiole 1–10 cm (distalmost 0.3–3.5 cm); petiolules 0.5–1.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades ovate, obovate, oblong, or rhombic, 1–4.5 × 0.7–2 cm, base cuneate, veins fine, margins dentate to denticulate, apex broadly acute, rounded, or emarginate, surfaces pubescent or glabrous. Peduncles 2–8 cm. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, 10–50-flowered, globose to subglobose, 1.5–4 × 2–4 cm; bracteoles forming shallow, membranous cups, to 0.5 mm. Pedicels reflexed in fruit, 5–12 mm; bracteoles broad-obovate, membranous, 0.5–1 mm, truncate to 2-fid. Flowers 10–15 mm; calyx campanulate, 6–9 mm, pilose or glabrous, veins 10, tube 1–1.5 mm, lobes equal, narrowly triangular to subulate, 3–7 mm, margins green, sinuses broad, orifice open; corolla usually pink, magenta, or creamy white, sometimes bicolored, 9–14 mm, banner obovate-oblong, 9–14 × 5–8 mm, apex rounded or retuse, often erose-denticulate. Legumes oblong, 4–5 mm. Seeds 1–6, yellow to brown, purple-mottled, globose, 1.2–1.5 mm, slightly rugose. 2n = 16.
Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Clearings in forests, open woods, meadows, especially after fires.
Elevation: 200–500 m.
Distribution
Ont., Ala., Ark., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va.
Discussion
Nearly glabrous plants of Trifolium reflexum have been called var. glabrum Lojacono; var. reflexum is described as densely pubescent. The distinctions between these two varieties is inconsistent and may be based in part on age (M. A. Vincent 1991).
Selected References
None.