Balloon Sack Clover: The 96th Flower of Spring and Summer!

Down in our granite valley where the Monkeyflowers grow and the moss there is still moist from the springtime rain, I found this really weird little plant that I guessed was a flower but I had no idea what it could be. Such an oddity...when I found a picture of one in my flower books, I was surprised to discover that this is actually a kind of clover!! Two funny names it's called are "Balloon Sack Clover" and "Cowbag Clover"! It does look like a very colorful, upside-down udder, doesn't it?!!! LOL!!

Also known as "Poverty Clover," this tiny flower measures about 1/4" in diameter and grows very close to the ground in places where it's wet. As the seeds develop, the pods inflate like balloons! :D This plant is found in the Pacific Northwest but also in parts of Chile and Peru.

If you would like to know more about this odd little flower, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Balloon Sack Clover (Trifolium depauperatum)