Buffalo Clover

Annual, Herbs, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipul es conspicuous, Stipules green, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules persistent, Stipules clasping stem at the base, Stipules adnate to petiole, Leaves compound, Leaves palmately 2-3 foliate, Leaflets dentate or denticulate, Leaflets 3, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence umbel-like or subumbellate, Inflorescences globose heads, capitate or subcapitate, Inflorescence axillary, Inflorescence terminal, Bracteoles present, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals white, Petals pinkish to rose, Petals bicolored or with red, purple or yellow streaks or spots, Banner petal narrow or oblanceolate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing petals auriculate, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit indehi scent, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit orbicular to subglobose, Fruit or valves persistent on stem, Fruit enclosed in calyx, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 2-seeded, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds cordiform, mit-shaped, notched at one end, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black, Seed surface mottled or patchy.

Trifolium reflexum, the Buffalo Clover, is a species of clover native to the Eastern United States. It is found in areas of natural openings including woodlands, glades, and prairies, often in acidic areas. It is an annual or biennial that produces white to dark pink flowers in the late spring.

Early in the European colonization of the Americas, clover species, likely including T. reflexum as well as related species such as T. stoloniferum, were recorded as forming a major component of the plant life in meadows and open woodlands, often in association with river cane, nettles, and other legumes.

Like many native clovers of the Eastern United States, Trifolium reflexum's populations have declined considerably in the past 200 years. For this species, fire suppression is indicated as a significant cause for decline. Controlled burns have been found to stimulate seed germination in T. reflexum.