TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

FABACEAE

LEGUME FAMILY

Annual to tree
Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipuled; leaflets generally entire
Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, umbel or head; flowers sometime 1–2 in axils
Flowers generally bisexual, generally bilateral; hypanthium generally flat or cup-like; sepals generally 5, fused; petals generally 5, free, or the 2 lower ± fused; stamens 1–many, often 10 with 9 filaments at least partly fused, 1 (uppermost) free; pistil 1, ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, ovules 1–many, style, stigma 1
Fruit: legume, sometimes including a stalk-like base above receptacle, dehiscent, or indehiscent and breaking into 1-seeded segments, or indehiscent, 1-seeded, and achene-like
Seeds 1–several, often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth
Genera in family: ± 650 genera, 18,000 species: worldwide; with grasses, requisite in agriculture and most natural ecosystems. Many cultivated, most importantly Arachis , peanut; Glycine , soybean; Phaseolus , beans; Medicago ; Trifolium ; and many orns. [Polhill & Raven (eds) 1981 Advances in legume systematics; Allen & Allen 1981 Leguminosae] Family description and key to genera by Duane Isely.

TRIFOLIUM

CLOVER

Duane Isely

Annual or perennial herb, unarmed
Leaves generally palmately compound; stipules conspicuous, partly fused to petiole; leaflets generally 3, sometimes 5–9, ± serrate or dentate
Inflorescence: raceme (often umbel-like), head, or spike, axillary or terminal, generally many-flowered, often involucred, generally peduncled; flowers bracted or not
Flower generally spreading to erect, often becoming reflexed; corolla generally purple to pale lavender, sometimes yellow, persistent after flower; 9 filaments fused, 1 free
Fruit generally indehiscent, but often breaking, short, plump, generally included in corolla; base often stalk-like
Seeds 1–6
Etymology: (Latin: 3 leaves)
Reference: [Gillett 1980 Can J Bot 58:1425–1558; Zohary & Heller 1984 Genus Trifolium]

Native

T. longipes Nutt.

Perennial, rhizomed or not, cespitose or not, generally puberulent
Stem decumbent to erect, sometimes ± 0
Leaves basal and cauline; stipules oblong-lanceolate to ovate, < 2 cm; leaflets 2–5 cm, linear to obovate
Inflorescence head-like, included or exserted, 1.5–3 cm wide; peduncle often bent or curved at tip
Flower: calyx 5–10 mm, ± puberulent, lobes lanceolate to bristle-like, generally > tube; corolla 10–18 mm, dull white, purple, or 2-colored
Fruit: stalk-like base 0–1 mm
Seed generally 1
Chromosomes: 2n=16,24,32,48
Ecology: Meadows, streambanks, forests, open slopes, sometimes on serpentine
Elevation: 600–3000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to Washington, Montana, Colorado
Intergrading complex
Reference: [Gillett 1969 Can J Bot 47:93–113]
; differentiating characters often indiscernible on herbarium specimens. Var. longipes not present in CA.

Native

var. nevadense Jeps.

Leaf: leaflet length 2.5–6 X width in CA-FP, to 10 X width in GB
Inflorescence: pedicel 0.3–1 mm; flowers spreading to ascending
Flower: calyx lobes 1–3 X tube; corolla white to purple
Ecology: Dry or boggy meadows, open slopes, woodlands, subalpine
Elevation: 1100–3000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: Oregon, Nevada
Flowering time: Jun–Sep
Intergrades in s SN with var. atrorubens (Greene) Jeps., which is isolated geog in SnBr, SnJt (hairier calyx, darker corolla). Plants very small at high elevation
Horticultural information: DRN, IRR: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17.