Trifolium albopurpureum
Encyclopedia
Trifolium albopurpureum is a species of clover
known by the common name rancheria clover.
It is native to the west coast and of North America from British Columbia
, California
and the Sierra Nevada, to Baja California
. It can be found in a wide variety of habitat
s, including chaparral and woodlands
, grassland
s, forests, and montane
locales.
is a spike of flowers measuring 0.5 to 2 centimeters wide. Each flower has a calyx of sepal
s with narrow lobes that taper into a bristle-shaped point and are coated in long hairs. Within the calyx is the flower corolla, which is purple and white in color.
Clover
Clover , or trefoil, is a genus of about 300 species of plants in the leguminous pea family Fabaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution; the highest diversity is found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes...
known by the common name rancheria clover.
It is native to the west coast and of North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and the Sierra Nevada, to Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
. It can be found in a wide variety of habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s, including chaparral and woodlands
California chaparral and woodlands
The California chaparral and woodlands is a terrestrial ecoregion of lower northern, central, and southern California and northwestern Baja California , located on the west coast of North America...
, grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s, forests, and montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
locales.
Description
Trifolium albopurpureum is an annual herb growing decumbent or erect in form. The leaflets are 1 to 3 centimeters long, and the herbage is hairy. The inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a spike of flowers measuring 0.5 to 2 centimeters wide. Each flower has a calyx of sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s with narrow lobes that taper into a bristle-shaped point and are coated in long hairs. Within the calyx is the flower corolla, which is purple and white in color.
Subspecies
Trifolium albopurpureum is often discussed as comprising three varieties. These are:- Trifolium albopurpureum var. albopurpureum
- Trifolium albopurpureum var. dichotomum
- Trifolium albopurpureum var. olivaceum