Relatives

Trifolium eximium Stephan ex DC. - Extraordinary Clover.

Taxonomic position.

Family Fabaceae Lindl., genus Trifolium L.

Synonyms.

Lupinaster eximius (Ser.) Bobrov, Lupinaster eximius (DC.) C. Presl, Trifolium grandiflorum Ledeb.

Morphology and biology.

Perennial. Stems 3.10(15) cm long, ascending or prostrate, with leafless membranaceous sheaths at the base, somewhat pubescent. Leaflets 3, 5.15 mm long, 4.10 mm wide, obovate, sometimes elliptic, cuneate at the base, finely dentate at margins, above glabrous, beneath adpressedly pubescent along midrib or glabrous. Flowers whitish-reddish, 15.20(22) mm long, on short pedicels, aggregated by 2.5 in umbellate heads. Calyx 6.8 mm long, somewhat pubescent or subglabrous, its teeth almost equal, slightly longer than tube. Pods scarious, up to 15 mm long, 3.5-seeded. Flowers in June - July, fruits in July - August. Cross-pollinated plant. 2n = ?

Distribution.

Altai, southern Siberia, southern Far East.

Ecology.

High-montane and subalpine zones, along river valleys penetrates in forest and mountain-steppe zones; on debris slopes, stone fields, rocks, in stony tundras, on shingles, sandy drifts.

Use and economic value.

May be used as a forage plant in extreme environmental conditions.

References:

Bobrov EG. 1945. Clover - Trifolium L. In: Shishkin BK., ed. Flora URSS. V.11. P.189-261. (In Russian).
Pavlov NV., ed. 1961. Flora of Kazakhstan. V.2. Alma-Ata. 515 p. (In Russian).
Polozhij AV., Malyshev LI., ed. 1994. Flora of Siberia. V.9. Fabaceae (Leguminosae). (In Russian).
Roskov YR. et al. 2005. ILDIS World Database of Legumes. [Online] Available at: http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?sciname=Trifolium%20eximium .

© N.I.Dzyubenko, E.A.Dzyubenko

© Photo by E.A.Dzyubenko
 

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