Trifolium

Trifolium cheranganiense J.B.Gillett

First published in Kew Bull. 7: 373 (1952)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Uganda to Kenya. It grows primarily in the montane tropical biome.

Descriptions

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb with a stout taproot and prostrate pubescent stems, sometimes rooting at the nodes, up to 1 m. long.
Morphology Leaves
Stipules pubescent, green, up to 15 mm. long, the acuminate free part about as long as, or rather longer than, the sheathing part; petiole sometimes free from stipules for 1–5 mm.; leaflets cuneate or oblong-cuneate, rounded or emarginate at the apex, up to 15 mm. long by 7 mm. wide, glabrous above, pilose beneath, chiefly on the midrib; main nerves ± 10 on each side, forming an angle of ± 20° with the midrib.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences many-flowered, globose, 2–2·5 cm. across; peduncle pilose, 2–5 cm. long; bracts ± 0·5 mm. long, greenish-white; pedicels pilose, reflexed after flowering, 1·5–5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx pilose, 11-nerved; tube white, ± 2 mm. long; teeth subulate, green, ± 3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla white or very pale pink; standard 8–9 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary glabrous, with a stipe 1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod 1–2-seeded, ± 3 by 1·5 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed dark yellow, oval, ± 1·5 mm. by 1 mm.
Habitat
Upland grassland, especially where heavily grazed; 2100–3100 m., very common locally at about 2400 m.; rainfall ± 1100 mm.
Distribution
not known elsewhere K2 K3 U1
[FTEA]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Afromontane grassland
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0