Large Trefoil

Large Trefoil on an old ant hill, Powerstock
Common,West Dorset

Erect plant, stalked flowerhead

Close-up of flowerhead

Ripening flowerhead

Ripe flowerhead

Leaflets and stipules
Trifolium aureum
Fabaceae
June to August
It is thinly scattered throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Large Trefoil
It is a neophyte which was introduced to the UK in the mid
1810s and noted in the wild in the 1830s.
The escape is naturalised in rough grassland.
Large Trefoil is an annual, erect, slightly hairy, nitrogen-fixing
herb, growing up to 30cm.
It looks like a larger Hop Trefoil (May), but with bigger
flowerheads and narrower leaves.
The flowerheads are stretched globes up to 2cm and stalked.
Individual flowers are up to 8mm and golden yellow.
The flowerheads turn brown on ripening.
Leaflets are in 3s, up to 25mm, veined and elongated ovals.
Stipules are oblong ovals and slightly pointed.
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