Herbs annual, 3–10 cm, gla­brous or sparsely hairy. Stems procumbent or erect, branched. Leaves palmate; stipules ovate, 0.3–0.5 cm, margins entire, apex acuminate-subulate; peti­ole 1–6 cm; petiolules to 0.5 mm; leaflets 3, blades obovate or obcordate, 0.3–0.8 × 0.2–0.6 cm, base cuneate, veins prominent adaxially, margins finely toothed, apex truncate or retuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely hairy. Peduncles essentially absent. Inflo­rescences axillary, 10–20-flowered, dense, globose, 0.5–0.8 × 0.5–0.8 cm; involucres absent, stipules forming involucrelike structures, overtopping inflorescences. Pedicels straight, 0.1 mm; bracteoles triangular, mem­branous, 0.5–1.2 mm, apiculate. Flowers 3–5 mm; calyx tubular, 3–5 mm, slightly hairy or glabrous, veins 10, tube 2–3 mm, lobes subequal, lanceolate, curved in fruit, orifice open; corolla white, 2.5–3.5 mm, banner obovate, 2.5–3.5 × 1 mm, apex acute. Legumes ovoid-ellipsoid, 3–5 mm. Seeds 2, yellow, lenticular or reni­form, 0.8–1 mm, minutely papillate. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–Apr.
Habitat: Roadsides, gravelly lawns.
Elevation: 0–100 m.

Distribution

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Introduced; Calif., Oreg., Wash., w Europe, n Africa, introduced also in s South America (Chile), w Asia, s Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia.

Discussion

Trifolium suffocatum is known from Monterey and San Mateo counties in California, Benton and Coos counties in Oregon, and San Juan County in Washington.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.