Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Trifolium microcephalum is a species of clover known by the common names smallhead clover and small-headed clover. It is native to western North America from southern Alaska and British Columbia to California, Montana, Arizona, and Baja California, where it occurs in many types of habitat, becoming common to abundant in some regions. It can grow in disturbed habitat and become a casual roadside weed. Trifolium microcephalum is an annual herb taking a decumbent or erect form. It is coated in hairs. The leaves are made up of oval leaflets with notched tips, each measuring up to 2 centimeters long, and bristle-tipped stipules. The inflorescence is a head of flowers borne in a bowl-like involucre of wide, hairy bracts. The head is not more than a centimeter wide. Each flower has a calyx of sepals with lobes narrowing into hairy bristles. The flower corolla is pinkish or purplish and measures 4 to 7 millimeters in length.

Plant type

Annual herb

Calscape icon
Color

Pink

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Very Low

Ease of care

Moderate

Site type

Rocky flats or slopes, with, ridges

Plant communities

Chaparral, Foothill Woodland, Lodgepole Forest, Red Fir Forest, Subalpine Forest, Valley Grassland, Yellow Pine Forest

Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 70 likely

Confirmed Likely

Garden Webworm Moth

Achyra rantalis

Fingered Dagger Moth

Acronicta dactylina

Ipsilon Dart

Agrotis ipsilon

Rascal Dart

Agrotis malefida