114 THE PEAFLOWER TRIBE. [Trifolium. 



In meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, from 

 the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle, and having been long cultivated, 

 t is now common in most temperate regions. Abundant in Britain. In 

 Ireland believed to be of comparatively recent introduction, although it 

 is now taken as the national emblem, in substitution of Oxalis Acetosella, 

 which some writers regard as the original shamrock. FL the whole season. 

 [A deep purple-flowered variety, T. degans, Savi., occurs in the Scilly 

 Isles.] 



18. T. hybridum, Linn. (fig. 262). Alsike 0. A glabrous perennial, 

 allied to T. repens, but never rooting at the joints, the stems ascending 

 or erect, branched, and attaining, when luxuriant, nearly 2 feet. Stipules 

 rather large. Leaflets obovate, bearing occasionally a mark in the centre, 

 as in T. repens. Peduncles axillary, longer than the leaves, bearing a 

 globular head of pedicellate flowers, with rather more pink in their colour 

 than in the common T. repens, the pedicels similarly elongated and re- 

 curved after flowering. Calyx and pod as in T. repens. 



In rich pastures and on the edges of woods, almost all over Europe, 

 except the extreme north. Abundant in Sweden, but not indigenous to 

 Britain. It has, however, of late years been much cultivated, and has 

 fully established itself in several parts of England. FL summer. 



1 9. T. procumbens, Linn. (fig. 263). Hop 0. A slender annual, much 

 branched at the base, glabrous or slightly downy, procumbent or nearly 

 erect, 6 inches to a foot long, or rather more. Stipules broad and 

 pointed. Leaflets obovate or obcordate, the central one at some 

 distance from the others. Flower-heads loosely globular or ovoid, on 

 rather long axillary peduncles, containing 30 to 50 small yellow flowers 

 on very short pedicels ; in fading the flowers become reflexed, and turn 

 pale brown, with a broadly obovate standard, distinctly marked with 

 longitudinal furrows, and completely concealing the small, 1 -seeded pod. 



In rather dry pastures and meadows, on the borders of fields, &c., 

 throughout Europe and western Asia, except the extreme north. 

 Abundant in Britain generally, but rare in northern Scotland. FL the 

 whole season. In the first edition of this work I regarded this as the 

 T. agrarium of Linnams, but the subsequent investigations of M. Puel 

 and others having induced me to examine carefully Linnasus's speci- 

 mens, and the MS. notes in his " Species Plantarum," I find that I was 

 in error, and that Linnaeus included both T. procumbens and T. minus 

 under his T. procumbens, as one species, in which he is probably right ; 

 but as the two forms are usually very different in aspect, at least in 

 this country, I have retained them under Smith's names. The true 

 T. agrarium is but little more than a variety of T. spadiceum ; neither 

 of them is British. 



20. T. minus, Relh. (fig. 264). Lesser G. Very near T. procumbent, 

 and perhaps a variety only, but more slender and procumbent ; the 

 flowers smaller, usually 12 to 20 in a head, and of a paler colour ; the 

 standard not so broad, more folded, and only faintly striated. The 

 central leaflet of each leaf is usually at some distance from the others, 

 as in T. procumbens, excepting sometimes in the lower leaves. Pedicels 

 of the flowers much shorter than the tube of the calyx. T. dubium, 

 Sibth. 



As common as T. procumbens over the greater part of Europe, but 

 does not extend so far to the east or to the north. In Britain also as 



