WILD CLOVER (Trifolium Iridentatum, Lindl.). There are 

 some 30 species and varieties of native clovers indigenous to 

 the Pacific Coast, not always obvious as clovers to those peo- 

 ple whose observations have been limited to the common white 

 and red clovers of Eastern fields and roadsides. All, however, 

 are low herbs, distinguished by compound leaves with adhering 

 stipules and 3 leaflets which are usually toothed, and small 

 flowers, purple, red, yellowish or white, in close heads or umbels 

 on axillary or terminal peduncles. 



T. tridentatum is a very common and characteristic species 

 in Central and Southern California, blooming in the spring 

 and early summer on plains and grassy slopes of the foothills. 

 The flowers are pink-purple with a darker centre and some- 

 times with a whitish tip to the banner, disposed in a broad, 

 flattish head, an inch or so across on footstalks 1 to 2 inches 

 long. This species, together with many others, used to form 

 a very important item in the bill of fare of the California In- 

 dians. They ate the tender leaves before flowering both raw 

 and cooked; and with some tribes the appearance of the clover 

 in spring was the occasion of special ceremonial dances. The 

 seeds of a few species were also used for food. 



100 



