Trifolium incarnatum L.
crimson clover
Annual; stems sparsely to densely hairy, usually sericeous, erect or ascending, not rooting at nodes. Lvs moderately hairy; petioles c. 15-80-(120) mm long; leaflets obovate, obtuse to slightly emarginate or slightly acute, sometimes shortly mucronate, cuneate at base, somewhat irregularly and usually indistinctly serrate toward apex, c. 8-30 mm long; lateral veins thin and straight to leaflet margin; petiolules up to 1.5 mm long, ± equal; stipules ovate, usually obtuse, sometimes acute. Infls terminal, spicate, usually cylindric, occasionally ovoid at early flowering, pedunculate, > subtending lf especially at fruiting; fls numerous, sessile; bracts 0. Calyx densely hairy, with 10 distinct veins, somewhat inflated on all sides at fruiting; throat open, not thickened, with a ring of hairs; calyx teeth ± equal, < corolla, linear-lanceolate, = or > tube, spreading at fruiting; sinuses acute to obtuse. Corolla crimson or scarlet, deciduous, 9-16 mm long. Pod glabrous, straight, < calyx, 3-4 mm long, 1-seeded; seeds c. 2 mm diam.
N.: Auckland City, Manaia (Taranaki), Fielding, Wellington City and S.W. Wellington Province; S.: Christchurch, Mitcham (Canterbury), Timaru, Oamaru, Ettrick, Balclutha; also reported from Ch.
British Isles, Mediterranean 1878
Rare and local, usually appearing from seed impurity in pasture and cultivated land.
FL Oct-Dec.
Crimson clover is distinguished by the long-cylindric heads and brightly coloured corolla. N.Z. material can be referred to the type var.
