398 DICOTYLEDONS AND CONIFERS 



Trifolium repens, Linn. White Clover ; Dutch Clover 



No doubt introduced at an early date last century, but first re- 

 corded in Hooker's list in 1864. It spread through Otago and South- 

 land very rapidly after the opening of the goldfields, being scattered 

 far and wide by the teams supplying the diggings in the early sixties. 

 (FL, Oct. to March.) 



In Europe the flowers are visited by Apis mellifica, Bombus lapi- 

 darius, B. terrestris and B. hortorum. 



A. R. Wallace in Darwinism states the "White Clover in New 

 Zealand is sometimes displacing native species, including even the 

 native flax (phormium tenax)." This story has been repeated many 

 times since, but, as most botanists now know, the statement made by 

 Wallace was based on defective information. Flax has been destroyed 

 by fire and by cattle, and clover has taken its place, but in the absence 

 of agencies introduced by man, the latter never does and apparently 

 never can displace the former. 



Clover seeds appear to pass undigested through the stomachs of 

 cattle, for it is not uncommon to find them germinating on old patches 

 of cow dung. 



Trifolium hybridum, Linn. Alsike Clover 



Must have been introduced much earlier, but first recorded by 

 Cheeseman in 1882 as occurring in clover fields in the Waikato. It 

 is now common in pastures and meadows throughout the country, 

 but it is questionable whether it has spread to any extent naturally. 

 (Fl., Jan. to March.) 



Trifolium fragiferum, Linn. Strawberry Clover 

 The first reference to this species appears to be in Cheeseman's 



Manual in 1906, where it is recorded as occurring in "fields and 



waste places in the Auckland district, rare." H. Carse records it 



from Mongonui in 1910. 



In Europe the flowers of this species are fertilised by Apis mel- 



lifica, Bombus lapidarius and B. terrestris. 



Trifolium resupinatum, Linn. Reversed Clover 



First recorded in 1882 by Cheeseman from Mongonui, Doubtless 



Bay, and Helensville. In the Manual (1906) he reports it as occurring 



in "fields and waste places in the North Island; very plentiful in 



the North Cape district, and increasing elsewhere." (FL, Oct. to Jan.) 



Trifolium agrarium, Linn. 



First recorded in Hooker's list of 1864 as T. procumbens. Also 

 reported from Broken River Basin in Canterbury, by Kirk. (FL, 

 Dec. to Jan.) 



