''Trifolium fucatum'' is a species of

clover Clovers, also called trefoils, are plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with the highest diversit ...

known by the common names bull clover and sour clover. It is native to the western United States (

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

and

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

), where it grows in many types of habitat, becoming common to abundant in some areas. It is an edible species of clover.

Description

''Trifolium fucatum'' is an annual herb growing decumbent to erect in form. The stem is often thick-walled and hollow. The leaf blades are made up of oval or rounded leaflets with smooth or toothed edges, and the leaves have large

stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole (botany), petiole). They are primarily found among dicots and rare among monocots. Stipules are considered part ...

s. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

is a head of flowers with a base of wide

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

s. Each flower corolla is 1 to 2 centimeters long and white or yellowish with purple tips. The flower becomes inflated as the fruit develops.

Planting

When planting, scatter bull clover seeds in places that are free of weedy grasses. Try not to plant along with non-native clover species because they will be competition for native clovers. The clover is susceptible to attacks from non-native slugs and snails, so measures may need to be taken to repel them.

Uses

The leaves, flowers, young seedpods, and seeds are edible. Bull clover can be eaten before and during flowering. It can be eaten raw, baked, or steamed. Take care to remove a few leaves from each plant rather than destroying an entire plant when harvesting leaves for consumption. Bull clover has a better taste when grown in moist soils.

Indigenous peoples There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

were recorded as consuming the clovers from February to April, prior to the plants blooming. It is recommended that the plant be dipped or boiled in salt water prior to consumption in order to prevent digestive upset. A small amount should be eaten in order to see how the body responds. In most cases, consuming moderate amounts of bull clover occurs without issue.

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Trifolium fucatum'' (Bull clover, Sour clover)Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Trifolium fucatum''UC CalPhotos gallery: ''Trifolium fucatum''
fucatum Flora of California Flora of Oregon Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of the Channel Islands of California Natural history of the San Francisco Bay Area Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Trifolieae-stub