Trifolium ornithopodioides L.

Annual or short-lived perennial; stems ± glabrous, procumbent, not rooting at nodes. Lvs glabrous; petioles 10–30–(50) mm long; leaflets usually obtriangular, rarely obovate, ± obcordate, usually mucronate, cuneate at base, sharply serrate, c. 4–10 mm long; lateral veins thin and ± straight to leaflet margin; petiolules < 1 mm long, ± equal; stipules lanceolate, acuminate. Infls axillary, umbellate, pedunculate, < lvs; fls 1–3–(5), subsessile; bracts subtending fls connate. Calyx ± glabrous or sparsely hairy, 10-veined, not inflated at fruiting; throat open, ± glabrous; calyx teeth equal, < corolla, narrowly triangular, ± = or > tube, slightly spreading at fruiting; sinuses acute. Corolla white or pink, persistent, 5–10 mm long. Pod sparsely to moderately hairy, slightly curved, > calyx, 5–8 mm long, 4–9-seeded; seeds c. 1–1.5 mm diam.

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

Flowering: Aug.–Mar.