''Trifolium angustifolium'' is a species of

clover Clovers, also called trefoils, are plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with the highest diversit ...

known by the common names narrowleaf crimson clover, narrow clover and narrow-leaved clover.

Distribution

It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. ''Trifolium angustifolium'' occurs in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. It can be found elsewhere as an

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived ther ...

, including an

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

in parts of North America, such as

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Description

''Trifolium angustifolium'' is an annual herb growing erect in form. The leaves are divided into narrow leaflets which are linear to lance-shaped and measure up to 4.5 centimeters long. The leaves have

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 (botany), petiole). They are primarily found among dicots and rare among monocots. Stipules are considered part ...

s tipped with bristles. The herbage is hairy in texture. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

is a cylindrical spike of flowers measuring 1 to 5 centimeters long. Each flower has a calyx of

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s with long, hairy, needle-like lobes that harden into bristles as the plant dries. Within each calyx is a pink corolla about a centimeter long. Trifolium angustifolium Hearst

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Trifolium angustifolium''
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''Trifolium angustifolium'' - Photo gallery
angustifolium Flora of Europe Flora of Western Asia Flora of North Africa Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Trifolieae-stub