Trifolium depauperatum Desv. var. truncatum (E. Greene) Isley   =Trifolium amplectens var. truncatum   Fabaceae (Pea Family)   Native   Pale Sack Clover

                               April Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Light green annual, glabrous, with slender decumbent stems 1-2.5 dm. long; stipules broad, entire, with a subulate point; lfts. obovate to oblanceolate, often truncate, toothed, 0.6-2 cm. long; peduncles mostly to ca. 4.5 cm. long; invol. bracts +/- separate, the lobes 2-2.5 mm. long, broad, scarious-margined; calyx 5-toothed, ca. 2.5-3 mm. long, the lower teeth setose, longer than the tube, persistent; corolla ca. 4.5-7 mm. long, white to reddish to purple, much inflated in age; pods 1-2 seeded; stalk-like base 0.5-1 mm.

Habitat:  Grassy places below 2500 ft.; V. Grassland, Coastal Sage Scrub, S. Oak Wd., etc.; San Diego Co. to cent. Calif. where more common.  Channel Ids.  April-June.

Name:  Latin, tres, three, and  folium, leaf.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 470).  Latin, amplect, encircling.  (Jaeger 16).  Amplectans probably refers to the banner petal of the corolla that encloses the other four petals very completely.  (John Johnson).  Latin, depauperatus, impoverished, low, less than natural size.  (Jaeger 78).  May refer to the fact that this species is smaller than many others.  (my comment).  N.L., truncatus, cut off.  (Jaeger 272).  Truncatus, refers to the leaflets that are often cut off bluntly at the ends.  (John Johnson).

General:  Uncommon in the study area, found on the Castaways bluffs, again just easterly of the Delhi Ditch and on the bluff edge between San Joaquin Hills Rd. and the Newporter Canyon.  Not found at all until 1993, a wet year.  (my comments).       Jepson reports 41 species of Trifolium as occurring in California, most of which are natives.  (Robbins et al. 267).        The new Jepson Manual lists 44 species of Trifolium.  (my comment).        About 300 species, most abundant in North Temperate areas, but also in South America and Africa.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 470).

Text Ref:  Abrams  Vol. II 537; Hickman, Ed. 650; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 472; Roberts 25.

Photo Ref:  April 93 # 11, April 2 93 # 6A.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 442.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 1/20/03.