Trifolium resupinatum L., Sp. Pl. 771. 753; Baker in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 86. 1879; Fl. Pak @ eFloras.org p. 286.

Annual herbs, 20-60 cm high. Stem procumbent, ascending or erect, glabrous, branched, hollow. Leaves alternate or opposite, palmately trifoliate; petioles of lower leaves much longer (up to 12 cm) than the petioles of upper leaves (3.5-4 cm); leaflets ca. 3-4 cm x 2-3 cm, sessile, oval oblong, or obovate, margin serrate, base cuneate, apex obtuse; lateral veins 17-19 pairs. Stipules ca. 1.2-1.5 (-2.5) cm long, adnate to petiole in about lower half, linear-lanceolate, 5-veined. Inflorescence an axillary pedunculate head, 1.0-1.5 cm wide, globose, many- flowered, without an involucre; peduncle longer than the subtending leaf. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, ca. 8 mm long, pink to reddish purple, sessile or shortly pedicellate. Calyx ca. 4.5 mm long, tubular-campanulate; tube 1.5-2.0 mm long; teeth/lobes 5, unequal, linear-lanceolate, 2 lower relatively smaller, hairy. Corolla papilionaceous, pink to reddish purple, resupinate, facing upside down; vexillum ca. 8-2.5 mm, claw narrow, 2 mm long, limb appendiculate; keel ca. 4.5 mm, slightly shorter than wings. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free, staminal sheath ca. 3 mm long, filaments (free part) 1 mm long; anthers uniform. Ovary ca. 1 mm long, unilocular with 2 ovules, placentation marginal; style ca. 3 mm long slightly incurved, glabrous; stigma minute, capitate. Fruit shortly ovoid, 3-4 mm x 2-3 mm, enclosed by inflated membranous, fibrous, densely hairy calyx; fruits aggregated into white woolly terminal head, 1-1.5 cm x 1-2 cm. Seeds ca. 2 mm x 1 mm, light brown.

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