Family |
Fabaceae
Trifolium stellatum
L.
Trifolium stellatum L.
First published in Sp. Pl.: 769 (1753).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, pp. 276–277, Pl. CV, 3; 1970)
Description
Life-form & habit: Annual herb 10–40 cm tall, softly hairy, with erect or ascending stems.
Leaves: Leaflets triangular-obovate, often heart-shaped at the tip. Free part of the stipules ovate, blunt and toothed.
Inflorescence & flowers: Rather loose spherical heads. Corolla pink, equalling or slightly exceeding the calyx. The five equal calyx teeth are broad at the base, taper to fine points and are twice as long as the tube.
Fruit: At fruiting, the calyx teeth spread into a conspicuous five-pointed star.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowering March–May.
Habitat & elevation: Fields, grassy places and woodland.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Ras Bayada, Saida, Chiyah, Beirut, Ras Chekka, Tripoli, Deir Tamish, Cheikh Mohammed, Jabal Terbol, Abey, Chemlan, Rayfoun, Bzoummar, Bikfaya, Nabatiyeh–Qalaat ech Chekif, Mdeirej, Dahr el Baidar, Qannoubine–Ehden, Zahle, Aana and Kfertay.
Syrian distribution: Qadmous, Masyaf, Khan Assal, Aleppo, Jabal Semaane, Jabal Qasyoun, the Tigris banks, Soueida–Qanaouat, Tell Hadid and Kafer.
Native range: Albania, Algeria, Baleares, Canary Is., Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Morocco, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe.
Introduced into: Germany, Great Britain, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia.