Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

''Trifolium'' (from Latin ''tres'' 'three' + ''folium'' 'leaf'), consisting of about 300

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the legume or pea family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with highest diversity in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, including at high altitudes on mountains in the tropics. They are small

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

biennial Biennial means (an event) lasting for two years or occurring every two years. The related term biennium is used in reference to a period of two years. In particular, it can refer to: * Biennial plant, a plant which blooms in its second year and th ...

, or short-lived

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

herbaceous plants, typically growing up to 30 cm tall. The leaves are

trifoliate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular ...

(rarely quatrefoiled; see

four-leaf clover The four-leaf clover is a rare variation of the common three-leaf clover. According to traditional sayings, such clovers bring good luck, though it is not clear when or how this idea began. One early mention of "Fower-leafed or purple grasse" is ...

), monofoil, bifoil, cinquefoil, hexafoil, septfoil, etcetera, with

stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). Stipules are considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many speci ...

s adnate to the leaf-stalk, and heads or dense spikes of small red, purple, white, or yellow flowers; the small, few-seeded pods are enclosed in the calyx. Other closely related genera often called clovers include ''

Melilotus ''Melilotus'', known as melilot, sweet clover, and kumoniga (from the Cumans),Bulgarian Folk Customs, Mercia MacDermott, pg 27 is a genus in the family Fabaceae (the same family that also includes the ''Trifolium'' clovers). Members are known ...

'' (sweet clover) and '' Medicago'' ( alfalfa or Calvary clover).

Cultivation

Several species of clover are extensively cultivated as fodder plants. The most widely cultivated clovers are

white clover ''Trifolium repens'', the white clover, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the bean family Fabaceae (otherwise known as Leguminosae). It is native to Europe, including the British Isles,Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. and Warburg., E.F. 1968. ''Excursio ...

, ''Trifolium repens'', and

red clover ''Trifolium pratense'', the red clover, is a herbaceous species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae, native to Europe, Western Asia, and northwest Africa, but planted and naturalized in many other regions. Description Red clove ...

, ''Trifolium pratense''. Clover, either sown alone or in mixture with

ryegrass ''Lolium'' is a genus of tufted grasses in the bluegrass subfamily (Pooideae). It is often called ryegrass, but this term is sometimes used to refer to grasses in other genera. They are characterized by bunch-like growth habits. ''Lolium'' i ...

, has for a long time formed a staple crop for silaging, for several reasons: it grows freely, shooting up again after repeated mowings; it produces an abundant crop; it is palatable to and nutritious for

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...

; it fixes nitrogen, reducing the need for synthetic

fertilizer A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...

s; it grows in a great range of

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debri ...

s and

climate Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologi ...

s; and it is appropriate for either pasturage or green composting. In many areas, particularly on

acidic soil Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. pH is defined as the n ...

, clover is short-lived because of a combination of insect pests, diseases and nutrient balance; this is known as "clover sickness". When crop rotations are managed so that clover does not recur at intervals shorter than eight years, it grows with much of its pristine vigor. Clovers are most efficiently pollinated by

bumblebee A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related genera ...

s, which have declined as a result of agricultural intensification.Bumbles make beeline for gardens, study suggests
Retrieved 27 November 2010.

Honeybee A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the current cosm ...

s can also pollinate clover, and beekeepers are often in heavy demand from farmers with clover pastures. Farmers reap the benefits of increased reseeding that occurs with increased bee activity, which means that future clover yields remain abundant. Beekeepers benefit from the clover bloom, as clover is one of the main nectar sources for honeybees. Clovers & Zrebar

'' Trifolium repens'', white or Dutch clover, is a perennial abundant in meadows and good pastures. The flowers are white or pinkish, becoming brown and deflexed as the corolla fades. '' Trifolium hybridum'', alsike or Swedish clover, is a perennial which was introduced early in the 19th century and has now become naturalized in Britain. The flowers are white or rosy, and resemble those of ''Trifolium repens''. '' Trifolium medium'', meadow or zigzag clover, a perennial with straggling

flexuous {{Short pages monitor * ''Trifolium patulum'' Tausch * ''Trifolium pauciflorum'' d'Urv. * ''Trifolium petitianum'' A. Rich. * ''Trifolium philistaeum'' Zohary * ''Trifolium phitosianum'' N. Böhling et al. * ''Trifolium phleoides'' Pourr. ''ex'' Willd. * ''Trifolium physanthum'' Hook. & Arn. * ''Trifolium physodes'' Steven ''ex'' M. Bieb. * ''Trifolium pichisermollii'' J. B. Gillett * ''Trifolium pignantii'' Brongn. & Bory * ''Trifolium pilczii'' Adamović * ''Trifolium pilulare'' Boiss. * ''Trifolium pinetorum'' Greene * ''Trifolium plebeium'' Boiss. * ''Trifolium plumosum'' Douglas * ''Trifolium polymorphum'' Poir. * ''Trifolium polyodon'' Greene * ''Trifolium polyphyllum'' C. A. Mey. * ''Trifolium polystachyum'' Fresen. * ''Trifolium praetermissum'' Greuter et al. * ''

Trifolium pratense ''Trifolium pratense'', the red clover, is a herbaceous species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae, native to Europe, Western Asia, and northwest Africa, but planted and naturalized in many other regions. Description Red clove ...

'' L. – red clover * ''Trifolium prophetarum'' M. Hossain * ''Trifolium pseudostriatum'' Baker f. * ''Trifolium purpureum'' Loisel. * ''Trifolium purseglovei'' J. B. Gillett * ''Trifolium quartinianum'' A. Rich. * ''Trifolium radicosum'' Boiss. & Hohen. * ''Trifolium reflexum'' L. – buffalo clover * '' Trifolium repens'' L. – shamrock (white clover) * ''Trifolium resupinatum'' L. – Persian clover, shaftal * ''Trifolium retusum'' L. * ''Trifolium riograndense'' Burkart * ''Trifolium roussaeanum'' Boiss. * ''Trifolium rubens'' L. * ''Trifolium rueppellianum'' Fresen. * ''Trifolium salmoneum'' Mouterde * ''Trifolium saxatile'' All. * ''Trifolium scabrum'' L. * ''Trifolium schimperi'' A. Rich. * ''Trifolium scutatum'' Boiss. * ''Trifolium sebastianii'' Savi * ''Trifolium semipilosum'' Fresen. * ''Trifolium setiferum'' Boiss. * ''Trifolium simense'' Fresen. * ''Trifolium sintenisii'' Freyn * ''Trifolium siskiyouense'' J. M. Gillett * ''Trifolium somalense'' Taub. * ''Trifolium spadiceum'' L. * ''Trifolium spananthum'' Thulin * ''Trifolium spumosum'' L. * ''Trifolium squamosum'' (or ''maritimum'') L. – sea clover * ''Trifolium squarrosum'' L. * ''Trifolium stellatum'' L. * ''Trifolium steudneri'' Schweinf. * ''Trifolium stipulaceum'' Thunb. * ''Trifolium stoloniferum'' Muhl. ''ex'' A. Eaton – running buffalo clover * ''Trifolium stolzii'' Harms * ''Trifolium striatum'' L. – knotted clover * ''Trifolium strictum'' L. * ''Trifolium subterraneum'' L. – subterranean clover * ''Trifolium suffocatum'' L. * ''Trifolium sylvaticum'' Gérard ''ex'' Loisel. * ''Trifolium tembense'' Fresen. * ''Trifolium thalii'' Vill. * ''Trifolium thompsonii'' C. V. Morton – Thompson's clover * ''Trifolium tomentosum'' L. * ''Trifolium triaristatum'' Bertero ''ex'' Colla * ''Trifolium trichocalyx'' A. Heller – Monterey clover * ''Trifolium trichocephalum'' M. Bieb. * ''Trifolium trichopterum'' Pančić * ''Trifolium tumens'' Steven ''ex'' M. Bieb. * ''Trifolium ukingense'' Harms * ''Trifolium uniflorum'' L. * ''Trifolium usambarense'' Taub. * ''Trifolium variegatum'' Nutt. – whitetip clover * ''Trifolium vavilovii'' Eig * ''Trifolium velebiticum'' Degen * ''Trifolium velenovskyi'' Vandas * ''Trifolium vernum'' Phil. * ''Trifolium vesiculosum'' Savi * ''Trifolium vestitum'' D. Heller & Zohary * ''Trifolium virginicum'' Small * ''Trifolium wentzelianum'' Harms * ''Trifolium wettsteinii'' Dörfl. & Hayek * ''Trifolium wigginsii'' J. M. Gillett * ''Trifolium willdenovii'' Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel, Spreng. − tomcat clover * ''Trifolium wormskioldii'' Johann Georg Christian Lehmann, Lehm. – cow clover

References

External links

*
Quattrofolium
Edible parts and visual identification of wild clover.
Nitrogen fixation
{{Authority control Forages Garden plants Groundcovers Nitrogen-fixing crops Trifolium, Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

Cultivation

See also

References

External links