Trifolium appendiculatum
An annual glabrous legume native to southwestern Oregon and California, thriving in temperate biomes, reaching 4–40 inches tall with palmately 3-leaflet leaves and axillary 4–25-flowered inflorescences bearing a white-tipped corolla, and supporting caterpillars and butterflies in coastal to montane wet areas of western North America.
Common Names
Tomcat Clover, Large Variegated Clover, Large White-Tip Clover
Summary
Large white-tip clover is an annual herb in the Fabaceae native to western North America, from southwestern Oregon to California, with widespread presence in California and occurrence into southern Oregon, and it is confined to the western side of the Sierra Nevada. It grows in an ascending or erect, branched habit; leaves are palmately arranged with three leaflets; inflorescences are axillary or terminal, 4–25-flowered and globose; flowers have a deep purple corolla usually white-tipped, and leaves are glabrous.
Habitat includes coastal areas, foothills, mountain meadows, ditches, and wet areas at elevations 0–1400 m. It provides wildlife value by supporting caterpillars and butterflies.
Lifecycle
Annual
Height
4 inches-3.5 feet
Soil Type
Moist soils
Soil Drainage
Wet areas
Bloom Color
Deep purple, usually white-tipped
Bloom Time
Spring
Growth Rate
Annual
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts butterflies
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Lojac.
- Publication
- Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital. 15: 181 (1883)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Fabales
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Subfamily
- Papilionoideae
- Genus
- Trifolium
Synonyms
Trifolium rostratum Trifolium splendens Trifolium appendiculatum var. rostratum Trifolium morleyanum Trifolium calophyllum Trifolium phaeocephalum Trifolium variegatum var. trilobatum Trifolium appendiculatum f. rostratum Trifolium variegatum var. major Trifolium variegatum f. major Trifolium variegatum f. morleyanum Trifolium variegatum var. rostratum Trifolium trilobatum Trifolium variegatum f. phaeocephalum