Herbs perennial, 5–12 cm, canes­cent. Stems erect-ascending, cespitose, mat-forming, branched; from deep taproot-like crown. Leaves palmate; stipules ovate or lanceolate, 0.5–1.5 cm, margins entire, apex long-acuminate; petiole 1–5 cm; petiolules to 0.5 mm; leaflets (3–)5, blades obovate, 0.5–2.2 × 0.2–1.2 cm, base cuneate, veins obscured by pubescence, margins entire, apex rounded or acute, apiculate, surfaces canescent. Peduncles 1–14 cm. Inflorescences axillary, 10–20-flowered, depressed-globose, 1–2 × 1–2.3 cm; involucres formed of connate, narrow, membranous bracts, to 0.5 mm. Pedicels absent; bracteoles absent. Flowers 10–17 mm; calyx campanulate, 9–11 mm, pilose, veins 10, tube 4–5 mm, lobes equal, subulate, plumose, orifice open; corolla white or pink, 10–17 mm, banner ovate-oblong, 12–19 × 3–5 mm, apex rounded, retuse. Legumes ellipsoid, 4–5 mm. Seeds 1 (or 2), tan or brown, irregularly ovoid, 1.6–2 mm, smooth, glossy.

Distribution

w United States.

Discussion

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

Trifolium andersonii encompasses three moderately well separable subspecies, with subsp. andersonii the more northern form in the range of the species, subsp. monoense in the southwestern portion of the range, and subsp. beatleyae in the eastern portion of the range (J. M. Gillett 1972). Intermediates between the latter two (and overlap in their ranges) make differentiation between them somewhat problematic, which prompted R. C. Barneby (1989) to combine them as var. beatleyae.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Trifolium andersonii subsp. andersonii, Trifolium andersonii subsp. beatleyae, Trifolium andersonii subsp. monoense

Key

1	Leaflet blades 0.5–1.1 cm, surfaces with appressed hairs to l mm; 3000–4000 m.	Trifolium andersonii subsp. monoense
1	Leaflet blades 0.9–2.2 cm, surfaces with spreading hairs 1.5–2 mm; 800–2500 m.	> 2
2	Peduncles l–3 cm, not overtopping leaves.	Trifolium andersonii subsp. andersonii
2	Peduncles 4–14 cm, overtopping leaves.	Trifolium andersonii subsp. beatleyae