Family |
Fabaceae
Trifolium clusii
Godr.
Trifolium clusii Godr.
First published in J.C.M.Grenier & G.Gordon, Fl. France Corse 1: 414 (1848).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, pp. 291–292, Pl. CX, 6; 1970)
Description
Life-form & habit: Hairless annual herb with spreading or ascending stems, 20–50 cm long.
Leaves: Long-stalked, with obovate, saw-toothed leaflets. Stipules membranous, lanceolate at the base and tapering into a long point.
Inflorescence & flowers: Heads on stalks about as long as or slightly longer than the adjacent leaves. Flowers inverted, with the standard in the lower position; corolla usually pink and at least twice as long as the calyx.
Fruit: Fruiting calyces swollen and strongly asymmetric, with the upper part bent sharply backwards. They form a compact, hairless head, often purple, with two enlarged upper teeth that are relatively upright and only slightly divergent.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowering March–April.
Habitat & elevation: Grassy places and roadsides, especially near the coast.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Ras Bayada–Tyr, Saida, Nahr Damour, Beirut, Tripoli, Mansourieh, Bikfaya, Bzoummar, Aley, Bsous, Rayfoun, Broummana, Afqa, Dimane, Ehden, Roueissat, Dahr el Baidar, Jourd Hasroun, Nabatiyeh, Aana and Kornet Chehwan.
Syrian distribution: Banias and south of Banias, Bhamra, Ain Halakim, Froulok, Wadi el Qarn and its eastern surroundings, Homs, Hama and the Barada valley.
Native range: Bulgaria, East Aegean Is., Egypt, France, Iran, Lebanon-Syria, Morocco, Palestine, Sardegna, Sicilia, Türkiye.
⚠️ Taxonomic note:
Formerly treated within Trifolium resupinatum. Kew accepts Trifolium clusii as a separate species; its compact fruiting heads and strongly bent, asymmetric fruiting calyces distinguish it.