Seasonal Wild Flowers

Rough Clover

Trifolium scabrum

Rough Trefoil

Fabaceae

May to July

It is mainly found round the coast, except for the

Northwest. It is thinly scattered inland, particularly in

East Anglia and parts of the South.

See the BSBI distribution map for Rough Clover

It grows on dry, parched and infertile soils, such as on

cliff tops.

Rough Clover is a native, small, annual, prostrate,

mat-forming, greyish, nitrogen-fixing herb, growing

up to 20cm.

Flowerheads are white and up to 12mm across.

Flowers are small, folded and only slightly longer

than the calyx.

The calyx teeth are rigid and triangular.

Leaves are up to 8mm, oval (obovate- broader

towards end),

hairy on both surfaces and apiculate (with a small

broad point at the apex).

Stems are radiating tubes with the flower heads at

regular intervals.

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Next page: Rowan

Rough Clover, West cliff, West Bay, Dorset

Flowerheads

Pods and calyx

Hairy leaves

Radiating stems