Common names:
Pinpoint clover, slender clover
Family:
Scientific name:
Trifolium gracilentum
Main flower color:
Range:
Arizona and California, plus small parts of Oregon and Washington
Height:
A few inches
Habitat:
Disturbed locations, generally open ground, dry or moist, from sea level to 4,500 feet
Leaves:
Divided into 3 obovate leaflets, notched at the tip, up to 0.6 inches long, lined by sharp teeth
Season:
March to June
All parts of trifolium gracilentum are usually hairless. The reddish, branched stems may adopt any angle, from vertically upwards to along the ground. The trifoliate leaves grow on the stems rather than at the base, at quite widely-spaced intervals; leaflets are widest near the tip, which is notched, giving them an inverse heart-shape. Leaflets have a prominent, yellowish midvein, and parallel, pinnate side veins. Leaflet margins are lined with a few sharp teeth, and the otherwise dull green surfaces may have white and/or purple patches. Leaflets are about twice as long as wide.
The inflorescence is a compact, bractless cluster of between 3 and 12 flowers, generally angled to one side. Flower stalks are initially ascending but curve downwards when mature. The calyx is deeply divided, almost to the base. The corolla is dark pink to purple in color, lighter at the tips of the petals.
The inflorescence is a compact, bractless cluster of between 3 and 12 flowers, generally angled to one side. Flower stalks are initially ascending but curve downwards when mature. The calyx is deeply divided, almost to the base. The corolla is dark pink to purple in color, lighter at the tips of the petals.
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