Trifolium wormskioldii Lehm.
springbank clover (cows clover)
Fabaceae (Pea family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Gary Lewis     (Photo ID #5308)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Trifolium wormskioldii
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a slender taproot; stems decumbent, 10-80 cm long, branched, often rhizomatous, glabrous.
Leaves:
Basal and alternate along the stem, palmately compound; leaflets 3, oblanceolate to oblong-egg-shaped, pointed to rounded at the tip, 1-3 cm long, the margins finely toothed; stipules lanceolate, 1-4 cm long, ragged-margined and with long-pointed tips.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a dense, globe-shaped, stalked, axillary head of 2 to 60, erect or spreading, pea-like flowers, the heads 2-3 cm thick, set in wheel-like, 1- to 2-cm wide, jaggedly many-lobed involucres; corollas reddish to purple, sometimes white-tipped, 10-18 mm long; calyces glabrous, 7-11 mm long, the 10-veined tube equal to the 5 awl-shaped, bristle-tipped teeth.
Fruits:
Pods; seeds 1 to 4.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
Red
Blooming Period:
Late Spring
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Trifolium wormskioldii

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
1 0 5
Slope Gradient (%)
0 0 1

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

0
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 4 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
D
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
24
Modal BEC Zone Class
CWH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

CDF(2), CWH(22)

Habitat and Range

Wet to moist meadows, tidal marshes, streambanks, beaches and dunes in the lowland and steppe zones; common along the BC coast, rare in SC BC; S to ID, CO, UT, NM, CA and MX.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Lupinaster wormskioldii (Lehm.) C. Presl
Trifolium arizonicum Greene
Trifolium fendleri Greene
Trifolium fimbriatum Lindl.
Trifolium heterodon Torr. & A. Gray
Trifolium involucratum var. arizonicum (Greene) McDermott
Trifolium involucratum var. fendleri (Greene) McDermott
Trifolium involucratum var. fimbriatum (Lindl.) McDermott
Trifolium involucratum var. heterodon (Torr. & Gray) S. Wats.
Trifolium involucratum var. kennedianum McDermott
Trifolium kennedianum (McDermott) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr.
Trifolium lacerum Greene
Trifolium mucronatum var. arizonicum (Greene) Isely
Trifolium oxydon Greene ex Rydb.
Trifolium spinulosum Dougl. ex Hook.
Trifolium willdenovii var. fimbriatum (Lindl.) Ewan
Trifolium willdenovii var. kennedianum (McDermott) Ewan
Trifolium willdenowii var. fimbriatum (Lindl.) Ewan
Trifolium willdenowii var. kennedianum (McDermott) Ewan
Trifolium wormskioldii var. arizonicum (Greene) Barneby
Trifolium wormskioldii var. fimbriatum (Lindl.) Jepson
Trifolium wormskioldii var. kennedianum (McDermott) Jepson