Trifolium arvense (Rabbit-foot Clover)

Trifolium arvense

Trifolium arvense L.

Trifolium arvense L. var. arvense

Trifolium arvense L. var. perpusillum DC.

Rabbit-foot Clover, Rabbitfoot Clover, Hares-foot Clover, Stone Clover, Oldfield Clover

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Fabales	Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family	Fabaceae	Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus	Trifolium	“Three-leaved,” for the 3-leaf clusters
Species	arvense	Of the fields

About plant names...

Rabbit-foot clover is native to Europe and western Asia. Its soft, fuzzy flowerheads, the reason for its common names, are unlike those of other clovers.

Identification: Plants are 4-16" (10-40 cm) tall. Leaves are in groups of 3. Leaflets are narrow, ⅜-¾" (1-2 cm) × ¹/₁₆-³/₁₆" (3-5 mm), sometimes with small hairs and fine serrations. Flowers are soft, composed of silken hairs, oval-shaped flowerheads ⅜-1" (1-3 cm) × ⅜-½" (1-1.5 cm). They appear pale pink from a distance; up close, white hairs are tinged with pink.

Online References:

Trifolium arvense on Missouriplants.com

Trifolium arvense at Illinois Wildflowers

Trifolium arvense on Forest and Kim Starr’s Starr Environmental site

Trifolium arvense on Wikipedia

Trifolium arvense on CalPhotos

Trifolium arvense on the Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site

Trifolium arvense at Minnesota Wildflowers

Trifolium arvense at the University of Wisconsin's Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium

7/9/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 8 × 5" (20 × 13 cm)

7/12/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Kibby Climb

7/9/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 7 × 11" (18 × 27 cm)

Trifolium arvense description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

8/6/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 9 × 7" (22 × 17 cm)

8/8/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

7/12/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Kibby Climb

Nashoba Conservation Land on Mt. Lebanon Rd · 7/16/2009 · Mt. Lebanon St, Pepperell, MA
≈ 12 × 8" (29 × 19 cm)

7/12/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Kibby Climb

Range:

About this map...