Trifolium montanum, L.

7. T. montanum L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 770 (1753).

Perennial; stock woody, with several erect, almost unbranched, more or less lanate stems 15-60 cm. Leaflets of basal leaves 30-70 mm, ovate, lanceolate or elliptical. Leaflets of cauline leaves 15-40(-60) mm, elliptical or oblong. Leaves glabrous above, sericeous or glabrescent beneath. Heads 15-30 mm, often in pairs, dense and manyflowered, globose or ovoid; peduncles 10-70 mm, densely hairy, ± erect. Calyx more or less hairy; teeth subulate. Corolla 7-9 mm, white or yellowish, rarely pink, yellowish-brown after anthesis; standard recurved. Legume usually 1-seeded. 2n= 16. Dry grassy places. Europe, but absentfrom much o fthe west, the Mediterranean region and the north. Au Be Bu Cz Fe Ga Ge He Hs Hu It Ju No Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W, K, E) Su.

Var. gayanum Godron, from S.W. France and Spain, may merit subspecific rank. It has the leaflets of the basal leaves broadly elliptical or sub-orbicular; heads solitary; peduncles 100-150 mm, sparsely hairy; pedicels 2 mm, as long as the calyxtube and exceeding the bracts, deflexed in fruit; and the calyxtube glabrescent, with oblique mouth.

T. balbisianum Ser. in DC., Prodr. 2: 201 (1825), from mountains of S. France and N.W. Italy, may also merit subspecific rank. It has the corolla c. 10 mm, the calyx-teeth subequal, longer than the tube, and 2n= 16.