56 



BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



The calyx is pale, the two upper teeth are equal, 

 the two lower ones are rather longer, and the 

 lowest is the longest. The corolla is purple. 



Crimson Clover — Trifolium incarnatum 

 (Plate XXVI) 



This is the most richly coloured of all the 

 cultivated species of clover, but though sometimes 

 grown in England for fodder, it is much less 

 frequently seen than the Purple Clover {Trifolium 

 pratense), which is closely allied to the Meadow 

 Clover just described. Nor does the typical 

 Crimson Clover appear to be a truly British 

 plant, though a yellow variety is indigenous in 

 Cornwall. 



The Crimson Clover has a weak upright stem, 

 with few or no side-shoots. The leaves are of 

 moderate size, with rounded leaflets, with the 

 lower borders parallel, and the extremity rounded 

 and finely dentated. The leaf-stalk is long, hairy, 

 and channelled on the upper surface. The flower- 

 head is long or cylindrical, and obtuse above. The 



calyx is hairy, io-striped, and terminates in 5 

 rather long teeth of nearly equal length. The 

 teeth are at first erect, but afterwards spread stiffly 

 out. The corolla is long, and bright crimson. 

 The standard is obtuse, and considerably longer 

 than the other petals, and separated from them 

 almost to the base. It flowers from June to 

 October. 



Other familiar plants allied to Clover are Lucerne 

 (Medicago saliva), a fodder plant, with pretty 

 blue or yellow flowers, and curious downy twisted 

 pods; the Sainfoin {Onobrychis saliva), which 

 bears a pink flower in clusters, and has compound 

 leaves, like the Vetches ; and the different species 

 of Trefoil {Lotus), with rather narrow trifid leaves 

 at the base of which are usually a pair of 

 rudimentary ones, and yellow flowers. Sometimes 

 these flowers are called Lambs' Toes. In Ireland 

 they are sometimes known as Shamrock ; but this 

 name is also applied to a small species of Clover 

 {Trifolium minus) with pale yellow flowers, which 

 is common in dry places in many parts of Great 

 Britain and Ireland. 



