Irish wildflowers BSBI map

Birds-foot Clover, Trifolium ornithopodioides, Seamair éin
Photos: Garinish, Beara peninsula, Co. Cork

Birds-foot Clover
Trifolium ornithopodioides
Seamair éin
Family: Fabaceae

Flowering June - July. Winter annual. Native.

Solitary or 2-4 small white or pale pink flowers, the seedpods much longer than the calyx. The very small-toothed, heart-shaped leaflets are hairless and slightly fleshy with transluscent veins. Prostrate growth with spreading reddish-green stems.

Coastal on semi-open grassy, gravelly or sandy ground that is wet in winter, very dry in summer. Very rare, mainly occurs near east and south-east Irish coasts but an inconspicuous plant and possibly under-recorded.
Identification uncertain

Birds-foot Clover, Trifolium ornithopodioides, Seamair éin
Birds-foot Clover, Trifolium ornithopodioides, Seamair éin

Please Contact me if you find mistakes. All images are copyright.