''Trifolium gymnocarpon'' 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 name hollyleaf clover. It is native to the western United States, from

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 ...

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

, and

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

. It can be found in many types of habitat, including sagebrush scrub.

Description

''Trifolium gymnocarpon'' is a small perennial herb with stems spreading along the ground to form a flat mat or clump. The leaves are each made up of 3 hairy leaflets with serrated edges (sometimes, due to a genetic mutation that is relatively common in this species, clovers with 4 or 5 leaflets may also be seen). 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 an umbel of flowers spreading out or flexing downward. The flower is roughly a centimeter long and dull pink or brownish in color.

Subspecies

*''Trifolium gymnocarpon'' ssp. ''plummerae'' — Plummer's clover, an

Endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

within

, but the subspecies is apparently secure, considering populations outside California.California Native Plant Society, Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants (online edition, v8-02): ''Trifolium gymnocarpon'' ssp. ''plummerae''
. accessed 2.28.2016.

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Trifolium gymnocarpon'' (Hollyleaf clover)Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Trifolium gymnocarpon'' ssp. ''plummerae''UC CalPhotos gallery: ''Trifolium gymnocarpon'' ssp. ''plummerae''
gymnocarpon Flora of the Northwestern United States Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of California Flora of New Mexico Flora of the Great Basin Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Trifolieae-stub