TRIFOLIUM - CLOVER

Author:Brenda Kay Rone

Class E-Mail Address:350rone@dial.pick.uga.edu *******************************************************************************************************************
T.pratense T.repens
Courtesy of UGA HerbariumCourtesy of UGA Herbarium

Table of Contents

brenda

Higher Taxon:

Family: Fabaceae

Description:

There are approximately 240 species in the genus Trifolium (Zohary and Heller, 1984). They describe the genus as follows, "...Annuals and perennials. Leaves 3-, rarely 5-9- foliolate. Flowers variously colored, small to medium sized, mostly arranged in heads or spike-like racemes, umbels or very rarely solitary. Bracts conspicuous to minute or 0; sometimes inflorescences involucrate by connate lower bracts. Pod oblong or obovoid, ususally enclosed within calyx but sometimes longer than calyx, 1-2-, rarely many-seeded, mostly indehiscent" (Zohary and Heller, 1984).

Species List:

This species list displays the scientific and common names for Trifolium. This is an incomplete list taken from the Clover Science and Technology by Gillet (1985). Detailed information is offered for the species T.pratense and T.repens.

Table I. Scientific and Common Names of Genus Trifolium

(Gillet, 1985)
Scientific Names Common Names
T.alexandrinum .
T.ambiguum .
T.arvense Rabbit Foot Clover
T.aureum .
T.campestre Low Hop Clover
T.dubium Low Hop Clover
T.fragiferum .
T.glomeratum .
T.hirtum .
T.hybrium .
T.incarnatum Crimson Clover
T.medium .
T.nigrescens .
T.pratense Red Clover
T.repens White Clover
T.resupinatum .
T.striatum .
.T.subterrranuem .
T.tomentosum .
T.vesiculosum .

Identification Guide:

The following is an identification guide to determine the different species of Trifolium by their distinguishing characteristics. This key is taken from the section by Gillet in Clover Science and Technology. This key is only partial representation of the species in the genus Trifolium.

To view a closer picture of T.repens look at the page by TimeLife(http://wwwlpathfinder.com/@@13fyQUA@9oWvRfC/vg/TimeLife/CG/Books?e16/Heml?E16095X.html) and a site on Papilionaceae(http://www.laters.com/weeds/clover.htm). To view T.pratense from a distance look at the site by HALLoGRAM on herbs(http://www.1001herbs.com/redclover/).

General Information:

Many species of the genus Trifolium flourish in wide varieties of habitats ranging form sub-Arctic regions to tropical regions of Africa and South America (Zohary and Heller, 1984). Furthermore, "At least two-thirds of the species in this genus are limited to natural habitats; such as mountain peaks, rocky slopes, mountain forests, forest clearing, meadows, and alpine zones with elevations seven exceeding 4,000m"(Gillet, 1985). Trifolium is fertilized through pollination by insects such as the honeybees, bumblebees and Lepidoptera(Zohary and Heller, 1984). Clover plays an important role in pasture lands through its nourishment to animals and beneficiary acts to grass when winter kills and summer droughts occur(http://www.modernforage.com/clover.htm) . However, evidence has shown that some clovers can cause poisoning to livestock(http://res.agr.ca/cgi-bin/brd/poisonpl/ddp...5?plant=Trifolium+repens&info=all&name=sci) . In additon, some clovers have medicinal purposes in the areas of blood purification and relief from inflammation and coughing(http://www.1001herbs.com/redclover/).

References:

  1. Gillet, J.W. 1985. Clover Science and Technology. American Society of Agronomy, Inc. Madison, WI

  2. Zohary, M. and D. Heller. 1984. The Genus Trifolium. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Jerusalem

  3. http://www.pathfinder.com/@@*13fyQUA@9oWvRfC/vg/TimeLife/CG/Books/E16/Html

  4. http://www.laters.com/weeds/clover.htm

  5. http://www.1001herbs.com/redclover/

  6. http://www.modernforage.com/clover.htm

  7. http://res.agr.ca/cgi-bin/brd/poisonpl/ddp...5?plant=Trifolium+repens&info=all&name=sci

  8. Back to Table of Contents