Herbs annual, 1.5–48+ cm, glabrous. Stems usually erect, ascending, or prostrate, branched. Leaves palmate; stipules lanceolate or ovate, 0.3–1 cm, margins lacerate, apex acute to acuminate; petiole 1–9 cm; petiolules to 0.8 mm; leaflets 3, blades elliptic, obovate, oblanceolate, or obcordate, 0.2–5 × 0.1–1.2 cm, base cuneate, veins thickened, margins denticulate, apex acute or retuse, surfaces glabrous. Peduncles 0.5–5 cm. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, 1–20+-flowered, subglobose or globose, 0.5–1.3 × 0.1–1 cm; involucres flat, 2–6 mm, incised 1/2 their length, lobes 2–7, lacerate. Pedicels straight, to 0.5 mm; bracteoles absent. Flowers 5–11 mm; calyx campanulate, not slit between adaxial lobes, 1.9–2.4 mm, glabrous, veins 10–20, tube 1.5–4 mm, lobes subequal, narrowly triangular, margins usually entire, rarely with a small lateral tooth, orifice open; corolla purple, usually white-tipped, 3–10 mm, banner obovate, 3–10 × 0.6–2.6 mm, apex emarginate. Legumes oblong or ellipsoid, 2–4 mm. Seeds 2, blackish brown, sometimes mottled, ovoid or ellipsoid, 1–1.6 mm, smooth. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–Sep.
Habitat: Wet places, coastal hills, mead­ows.
Elevation: 0–2500 m.

Distribution

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B.C., Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo., Mexico (Baja California).

Discussion

Trifolium variegatum is widespread and morphologi­cally variable (B. G. Foster and M. A. Vincent 2018). Because of this variability, T. variegatum and related species were treated as seven so-called phases by D. Isely (1998), who described these as ecotypic groups, some of which might deserve varietal or specific rank. C. S. Cooper (1957) considered T. variegatum a good choice for cultivation in wet areas for grazing and hay production.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.