RED CLOVER

Trifolium pratense

Pea Family [Fabaceae]

month8may month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug month8sep month8sept month8oct month8nov

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8pink
inner
inner8white
morph
morph8zygo
petals
petalsZ5
type
typeZclustered
type
typeZglobed
stem
stem8round
stem
stem8ribbed
sex
sexZbisexual

5th Aug 2008, South of Southport, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
It is prostrate to erect growing up to 60cm in length. The plant is very variable in features.


5th Aug 2008, South of Southport, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD


17th June 2005, Cheddleton, Caldon Canal, Staffs. Photo: © RWD
Beside a canal.


17th June 2005, Leek Branch of Caldon Canal, Staffs. Photo: © RWD
This one with lanceolate leaves (and almost round leaves lower down).


27th June 2009, MB&BC canal, Radcliffe, Gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Meanwhile, beside another canal. The blunted oval shaped leaves (at the bottom) plus the lanceolate and oblanceolate leaves further up display all the leaf shapes said to inflict Red Clover. It looks like it may have been oppresively hot recently - the red stems on this specimen are showing heat or dessication stress. If only there was some water nearby...


31st May 2008, Linthwaite, Huddersfield Canal. Photo: © RWD
Oh, yet another canal! Red Clover does seem to like being next to a canal, maybe it's the coping stones it likes. The shorter ones have yet to grow taller and sprout petals at the top.


31st May 2008, Linthwaite, Huddersfield Canal. Photo: © RWD
Some of the leaflets on this maroon coloured specimen are small and almost round, but all have the characteristic pale chevron (which can also occasionally occur on some other species of Clover, especially White Clover). Pity about the absence of any flowers, maybe the farmer mowed them down?

Tiny dark chevrons occur in the centre of the leaves of Spotted Medick)



7th June 2005, Southport, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
There are both White Clover (usually with slightly smaller flower heads) and Red Clover here.

[A yellow trefoil lurks on the upper left]



7th June 2005, Southport, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The leaves are very variable too: here egg-shaped oval (but they can also be lanceolate or oblanceolate. They possess the usual chevron marks, but not all specimens will. The hairs on the flower stalks are fairly obvious on these specimens but can be much harder to see.


unknown place, unknown date. Photo: © RWD
The corolla (aka floret) is 15 to 18mm long and is longer than the calyx (being the sepal cup and sepal teeth together)


29th May 2008, Whaley Bridge, Peak Dist. Photo: © RWD
The inflorescence (aka flowerhead) is usually sessile [meaning without flower stalk] (or very nearly so).

There are broad, striped stipules just below the flowerheads and at any branches in the stems. The hairs on this specimen are very short.



23rd Sept 2008, Blackleach Resr, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
The flowers on this specimen have not yet developed. Look at the image above this one to see the flowerheads with a bunch of long, brown, hairy sepal teeth in their centres just like this one.


23rd Sept 2008, Blackleach Resr, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
There are two stipules which closely surround each flowerhead and just one at any junction on the stem. These stipules all have characteristic dark-red veins on Red Clover and each tapers to a bristle-like point. he plant is hairy, although you have to look closer to see the hairs.


5th Aug 2008, South of Southport, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
Spent flowers turn brown when going to seed.




A CULTIVATED FORM

13th Sept 2018, Arable Field, Tontine, Upholland, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The leaves are very long and broad. The larger more robust agricultural variants have hollow stems and coarser leaf teeth.


13th Sept 2018, Arable Field, Tontine, Upholland, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Stems very hairy (bottom right leaf triplet).


13th Sept 2018, Arable Field, Tontine, Upholland, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Most leaflets c. 5cm long.


Some similarities to : Zig-Zag Clover (Trifolium medium) but that is a redder shade of purple-pink and the leaves don't have pale-green chevrons on them.

It is usually pinkish-purple but can sometimes be pale pink, cream, or even white.

It inhabits grassy places or rough ground and waste places, pastures, meadows and verges.


  Trifolium pratense  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Fabaceae  

Distribution
 family8Pea family8Fabaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Trifolium
Trifolium
(Clover)

RED CLOVER

Trifolium pratense

Pea Family [Fabaceae]