Prostrate perennial herb; stems rhizomatous, 10–30 cm long, glabrous or glabrescent, rooting at nodes. Leaves palmately trifoliolate, long-petiolate; leaflets broad-obovate to orbicular, 6–40 mm long, 10–30 mm wide, glabrous, prominently veined, often with a pale crescent on upper surface, margins serrulate, apex often emarginate; stipules membranous, sheathing. Inflorescence with more than 20 flowers, axillary, umbellate or globular, 15–35 mm long, 15–35 mm wide, pedunculate; flowers pedicellate. Calyx 3–5 mm long, tube campanulate, usually 10-veined, throat open, teeth about as long as tube, unequal, spiny; corolla 4–13 mm long, white, yellow or pink, persistent; standard ovate-lanceolate, apex rounded. Pod linear-oblong, 4–6 mm long, exserted from calyx tube; seeds 3 or 4, ovoid or reniform, c. 1 mm long, brownish, smooth. Flowers mainly Aug.–Feb.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, Brid, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, EGL, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, VAlp. Also naturalised WA, Qld, ACT. Native to northern Africa, Europe, temperate Asia. Widely cultivated throughout the world and an important fodder crop; established throughout much of Victoria and readily invading parks, gardens and playing fields in urban areas.
