Trifolium retusum L.

Annual; stems glabrous, procumbent or ascending, not rooting at nodes. Lvs glabrous; petioles c. 10–40 mm long; leaflets obovate, mostly acute and mucronate, cuneate at base, finely serrate, c. 5–15 mm long; lateral veins somewhat recurved and thickened toward leaflet margin; petiolules < 1 mm long, ± equal; stipules ovate, acuminate. Infls axillary, racemose, globose, pedunculate, usually < subtending lf, sometimes ± = lf, the upper often subsessile; peduncles 0.75–1 mm diam.; fls numerous, somewhat recurved at fruiting; pedicel up to 1 mm long but fls usually subsessile; bracts subtending fls free. Calyx ± glabrous or with a few scattered hairs, 10-veined, not inflated at fruiting; throat open, glabrous; calyx teeth unequal, narrowly triangular, recurved at fruiting but not flowering; upper 2 teeth longer, ± = corolla, = or > tube; sinuses acute. Corolla white or pink, persistent, 4–5 mm long. Pod glabrous, straight, < calyx, 2–3 mm long, 2-seeded; seeds c. 1 mm diam.

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

Flowering: Oct.