''Trifolium fucatum'' is a species of

clover Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (from Latin ''tres'' 'three' + ''folium'' 'leaf'), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume or pea family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus ...

known by the common names bull clover and sour clover. It is native to the western United States (

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

), where it grows in many types of habitat, becoming common to abundant in some areas. It is an edible species of clover.

Description

''Trifolium fucatum'' is an

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

herb growing decumbent to erect in form. The stem is often thick-walled and hollow. The leaf blades are made up of oval or rounded leaflets with smooth or toothed edges, and the leaves have large

stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). Stipules are considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many speci ...

s. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphology (biology), Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of sperma ...

is a head of flowers with a base of wide bracts. Each flower corolla is 1 to 2 centimeters long and white or yellowish with purple tips. The flower becomes inflated as the fruit develops.

Planting

When planting, scatter bull clover seeds in places that are free of weedy grasses. Try not to plant along with non-native clover species because they will be competition for native clovers. The clover is susceptible to attacks from non-native slugs and snails, so measures may need to be taken to repel them.

Uses

The leaves, flowers, young seedpods, and seeds are edible. Bull clover can be eaten before and during flowering. It can be eaten raw, baked, or steamed. Take care to remove a few leaves from each plant rather than destroying an entire plant when harvesting leaves for consumption. Bull clover has a better taste when grown in moist soils.

Indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

were recorded as consuming the clovers from February to April, prior to the plants blooming. It is recommended that the plant be dipped or boiled in salt water prior to consumption in order to prevent digestive upset. A small amount should be eaten in order to see how the body responds. In most cases, consuming moderate amounts of bull clover occurs without issue.

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Trifolium fucatum'' (Bull clover, Sour clover)Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Trifolium fucatum''UC CalPhotos gallery: ''Trifolium fucatum''
fucatum Flora of California Flora of Oregon Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of the Channel Islands of California Natural history of the San Francisco Bay Area Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Trifolieae-stub