Trifolium simense Fresen.

Perennial or perhaps, rarely, annual herb; some of the roots often rather thick and fleshy; stems erect, or sometimes procumbent at the base, but not rooting at the nodes, usually glabrous, sometimes pilose above, up to 60 cm. tall.. Stipules 1–4 cm. long, glabrous or pilose at the margins, always with some hairs at base of petiolules, the free part much shorter than the sheath, except sometimes when the bristly tip is much elongated; leaflets narrowly cuneate-oblong, oblanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 1–6 cm. long, up to 3 mm. wide, glabrous or sparsely pilose, with well-marked subulate teeth, at any rate near the tip; lateral nerves many, at 5–15° to the midrib.. Inflorescences hemispherical or ovoid, ± 15 mm. across; peduncle up to 5 cm. long, pilose, especially at the top; bracts white, up to 1 mm. long, the outer ones often notched; pedicels ± 1 mm. long, erect in fruit.. Calyx whitish, pilose at the margins only; tube ± 2 mm. long, 17–20-nerved; teeth subulate, 2–3 mm. long.. Corolla reddish-purple, rarely white; standard 6–8 mm. long.. Stamens 3–5 mm. long.. Ovary usually glabrous.. Seeds 1–2, pale brown, oval, ± 1·3 by 1 mm.. Fig. 143.

In mountain grassland.