prairie clover

American  

noun

1. any plant belonging to the genus Petalostemon, of the legume family, common in western North America, having pinnately compound leaves and spikes of white, purple, or pink flowers.

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Etymology

Origin of prairie clover

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Example Sentences

“If you have white and purple prairie clover side by side,” Holm said, “you’ll likely observe wasps preferentially visiting the white flowers.”

From Seattle Times

“I’m looking for white prairie clover,” Hunt explained, clipping a seed head of the small white flower and dropping it into her basket.

From Washington Times

DeLong pulled over for a patch of white prairie clover.

From Washington Times

“We found lupine, prairie smoke, prairie larkspur, the prairie clovers - both white and purple prairie clover. We found our tall prairie cinquefoil. We found hyssop. Bergamot. Butterfly weed.”

From Washington Times

On a Wednesday morning in mid-August, Therese and Bill Folsom joined DeLong in search of white prairie clover and purple prairie clover.

From Washington Times