Trifolium. LEGUMINOSiE. 169 



perennial ; but a distinguished agriculturalist of New-England asserts positively that it is a 

 biennial, and my own observation inclines me to the same opinion. It is certain that a very 

 large proportion of the plants disappear after the second year ; and those which apparently 

 remain, may be only a succession of young plants from fallen seeds. I perceive also that 

 Mr. Sinclair, in his Hortus Gramineus, speaks of the Red Clover as a biennial." Darlington. 



** CoTcHa persistent, never yellmc, turning brmnnish when old ; JUneers in globose heads, deflexed when old : calyx not 



inflated after fmcering. 



3. Trifolium reflexum, Linn. Buffalo Clover. 



Plant pubescent ; stem ascending or decumbent ; leaflets obovate or obovate-oblong, some- 

 times emarginate, crenulate-serrulate ; stipules foliaceous, ovate-lanceolate ; heads of flowers 

 somewhat umbellate, dense ; calyx hairy, parted nearly to the base , the teeth subulate, half 

 as long as the corolla ; vexillum broadly ovate ; legume 3 - 5-seeded. — Michx. jl. 2. p. 59 ; 

 Pursh, fl. 2. p. 447 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 282 ; DC. prodr. 2. p. 201 (not of Waldst. ^ Kit.); 

 Hook, in hot. mag. t. 3471 ; Torr. ^ Gr.jl. N. Am. \.p. 315. T. Pennsylvanicum, Willd. 

 enum. p. 793 ; DC. I. c. 



Root annual or biennial ? perennial according to Muhlenberg. Stems a foot or more in 

 length. Head of flowers globose, an inch in diameter. Flowers distinctly pedicellate ; the 

 lower ones at length deflexed. Vexillum rose-red : wings and keel white. 



Near Salina Lake, Dr. Sartwell ; also in the neighborhood of Utica, Miss Shelden {Dr. 

 Knieskern). Genesee Falls, Prof. Dewey (Eaton). June. A common species in the Western 

 States. 



• 



4. Trifolium repens, Linn. White Clover. 



Plant smooth ; stems creeping, diff'use ; leaflets obcordate, serrulate ; stipules scarious, 

 narrowly lanceolate ; heads of flowers globose, somewhat umbellate, on long axillary pedun- 

 cles ; teeth of the calyx unequal ; legume about 4-seeded. — Engl. hot. t. 1769 ; Michx. Jl. 2. 

 p. 59 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 477 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 201 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 271 ; Beck, hot. p. 80 ; 

 Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 407 ; Torr. ^ Or. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 316. 



Root perennial. Leaves on long slender petioles : leaflets often obovate and emarginate or 

 nearly entire, commonly marked with a pale semilunar spot. Heads of flowers depressed- 

 globose. Teeth of the calyx lanceolate-subulate, shorter than the tube. Corolla white, be- 

 coming purplish, and at length of a pale dirty brown. 



Fields and pastures, every where. April - November. This species must be native, for 

 it springs spontaneously from the soil, even when turned up from considerable depths, where 

 the seeds have probably lain dormant for ages. In climates that are not too warm, it is 

 superior to all other plants for pasturage. In the South, according to Mr. Elliott, stock of 

 every description eat it .sparingly, and apparently with reluctance. He states that it aflTects 

 very sensibly the salivary glands, sometimes producing complete salivation. 



[Flora.] 22 



