Japanese name: シャグマハギ（赤熊萩） Scientific name:Trifolium arvense
[Overview]
An annual or biennial 10–40 cm tall, found in its native range in fields and along roadsides.
The whole plant is covered with white hairs.
The stems branch and stand upright.
The leaves are alternate and consist of 3 leaflets; the leaflets are elliptical, 1–2 cm long and 0.3–0.5 cm wide, with fine serrations along the margins.
From the stem tips and leaf axils, cylindrical racemes 2–3 cm long and 1–0.5 cm in diameter are produced, densely bearing white to pale pink papilionaceous flowers 4–5 mm long.
The calyx is red, extends longer than the flower, and is conspicuous with dense white hairs.
Because of this calyx, the flower spike looks woolly.
The fruit is a legume.
[History]
It became naturalized in Okinawa after World War II and is now seen in various places.
