Trifolium dubium (Least hop clover)

FloraFinder uses cookies only for correct operation. More info. Okay

Trifolium dubium Sibth.

Least hop clover, small hop clover

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Fabales	Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family	Fabaceae	Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus	Trifolium	“Three-leaved,” for the 3-leaf clusters
Species	dubium	Doubtful, as in the sense of not conforming to a pattern

About plant names...

Least hop clover is one of several difficult-to-distinguish yellow clovers. From Eurasia and central Asia, it probably arrived in North America by accident, where it has become widespread. It appears in disturbed soil and meadows, and is common in lawns.

Plants: 2-6″ (5-15 cm) tall, often forming mats. Stems are green or reddish, and multiply branched.

Leaves: Alternate, in groups of 3, with a larger center leaf on a short petiole (stem), often notched at the top.

Flowers: About ¼″ (6.3 mm) yellow flowerheads, oval to spherical, 5-15 flowers per head. Flowers turn brown when seeds ripen.

Fruits: Inconspicuous.

7/27/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 13″ (22 × 33 cm) ID is uncertain

	*Trifolium aureum*	*Trifolium campestre*	You are here Trifolium dubium
Common Name	hop clover	low hop clover	least hop clover
Plant	Plants 6-18″ (15-45 cm) high.	Up to 1′ (40 cm) tall, sometimes erect, sometimes growing along the ground	2-6″ (5-15 cm) tall, often forming mats.
Flowers	About ¾″ (1.9 cm) high. Flowers turn brown and wilt, seeds fall to the ground instead of forming a fruit	Yellow, less than ½″ (1.3 cm) across; roughly spherical, with 20-40 individual flowers; flowerheads become brown with age. Upper petals of the flowers have grooves.	About ¼″ (6.3 mm) yellow flowerheads, oval to spherical, 5-15 flowers per head. Flowers turn brown when seeds ripen.
Leaves	Groups of 3. Central leaf is not on a separate stem (petiole). Leaflets about ¾″ (1.9 cm) long, ¼″ (6.3 mm) wide.	Groups of 3, about ¾″ (1.9 cm) long; with small teeth near the leaf tips. The central leaf is on a longer stem (petiole) than with other hop clovers, often notched at the top	Alternate, in groups of 3, with a larger center leaf on a short petiole (stem), often notched at the top.
Stem	Multiply branched, usually erect	Green or reddish green, multiply branched	Green or reddish, multiply branched.
Seeds	Inconspicuous	Inconspicuous
Fruit			Inconspicuous.
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Grasslands, fields, roadsides, wastelands	Temperate grasslands, fields, roadsides, wastelands, cultivated fields	Disturbed soil, meadows, common in lawns.
Type	Wild	Wild	Wild
Occurrence	Common	Common	Common

	*Medicago lupulina*
Common Name	black medic
Plant	Plant may reach up to 2½′ (76 cm) long
Flowers	Rounded, about ¼-½″ (6.3-12 mm)
Leaves	Three leaves, with slightly serrated tips, center leaf on separate petiole
Stem	Often prostrate, light green or reddish green, covered with white hairs
Seeds	Black, coiled
Fruit	Seedpods are "coiled"—this is probably the most unique feature of black medic
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Prairies (black soil, clay), weedy meadows, old fields, cropland, pastures, vacant lots, landfills, cemeteries, lawns, areas along railroads and roadsides, and miscellaneous waste areas; common in low-cut lawns
Type	Wild