Trifolium cernuum Brot.

Annual; stems glabrous, prostrate, not rooting at nodes. Lvs glabrous; petioles c. 5–40 mm long; leaflets obovate, mostly obtuse or somewhat acute, mucronate, cuneate at base, finely serrate, c. 3–10 mm long; lateral veins somewhat recurved and thickened toward leaflet margin; petiolules < 1 mm long, ± equal; stipules ovate, acuminate. Infls axillary, racemose, globose, < lvs, at least some infls with a distinct peduncle, others subsessile; peduncles < 0.5 mm diam.; fls numerous (rarely as few as 6 and umbellate), distinctly recurved at fruiting; pedicel c. 2 mm long; bracts subtending fls free. Calyx ± glabrous or sparsely hairy, 10-veined, not inflated at fruiting; throat open, usually sparsely hairy; calyx teeth somewhat unequal, narrowly triangular, recurved at fruiting but not at flowering; upper 2 teeth longer, < or ± = corolla; upper teeth = or < tube; sinuses acute. Corolla pink, persistent, 3–4 mm long. Pod glabrous, straight, < calyx, 2–3 mm long, 2–3-seeded; seeds c. 1 mm diam.

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

Flowering: Oct.–May.