Trifolium arvense L.

Annual; stems densely sericeous, erect or ascending, not rooting at nodes. Lvs densely sericeous, especially on petioles and undersurface of leaflets; petioles c. 2–10–(20) mm long; leaflets narrowly obovate to oblong, obtuse to slightly emarginate, shortly mucronate, c. 5–20 mm long, with a few indistinct serrations; lateral veins thin and straight to leaflet margin; petiolules up to c. 1 mm long, ± equal; stipules oblong or ovate, acuminate. Infls axillary and terminal, spicate, cylindric, pedunculate, much > lvs especially at fruiting; fls numerous, sessile; bracts 0. Calyx densely sericeous, with 10 distinct veins, slightly inflated on all sides at fruiting; throat somewhat constricted, glabrous; calyx teeth subequal (lower slightly longer), much > corolla, linear, much > tube, ± erect or spreading at fruiting; sinuses obtuse. Corolla white or pink, persistent, exceeding inflated calyx tube at fruiting, 3–4 mm long. Pod glabrous, straight, < calyx, c. 2 mm long, 1-seeded; seeds c. 1 mm diam.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Aug.–May.