SLENDER TREFOIL

Trifolium micranthum

Pea Family [Fabaceae]

month8may month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8yellow
morph
morph8zygo
petals
petalsZ5
stem
stem8round

28th May 2012, Medina, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
It can be a low and sprawling plant


14th June 2007, Sandown Rugby Club, IoW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
Or it can be a erect plant to 15cm. It grows in low or short-cut grass, lawns especially. The leaves are smaller than those on Lesser Trefoil which looks similar.


28th May 2012, Medina, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone


14th June 2007, Sandown Rugby Club, IoW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The flowers are also a deeper yellow than those of the otherwise similar Lesser Trefoil.


14th June 2007, Sandown Rugby Club, IoW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The length of the leaflet stalks are equal for each triplet leaf. The flowers, at 2-3mm long each, are also smaller than those on Lesser Trefoil (which are 3-4mm long). The flowers are also on longer stalks and with fewer flowers in a bunch (between 2 to 6) [but can be as low as just one or as many as 10] and on a longer-stalked head.


14th June 2007, Sandown Rugby Club, IoW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
As yet unopened flowers.


28th May 2012, Medina, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone


28th May 2012, Medina, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone


Easily mistaken for : Lesser Trefoil (Trifolium dubium) which also has small yellow flowers. See captions for differences.

The fruits (not yet shown) are between 1.5 to 3mm across and contain either 1 or 2 seeds.

It grows on short turf such as close-cut lawns and is present throughout most of Britain but rare in Ireland and Scotland (wherein it is not native). Like all trefoils the flowers are yellow in colour.


  Trifolium micranthum  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Fabaceae  

Distribution
 family8Pea family8Fabaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Trifolium
Trifolium
(Clovers)

SLENDER TREFOIL

Trifolium micranthum

Pea Family [Fabaceae]