66 PASTURE PLANTS AND PASTURES OF N.Z. 



13. Stalk of terminal leaflet three times as long as the 



stalks of the basal pair ; hairs usually few ; a 

 spreading yellow-flowered annual Little Trefoil 



Stalks of all leaflets nearly equal in length 14 



14. Stipules ending in distinct long points 15 

 Stipules hairy, but with no long points ; a downy 



annual with upright stems Crimson Clover 



15. Plant downy ; annual ; prostrate stems ; flowers 



turning into the ground Subterranean Glover 



Stems upright ; perennial ; flowers purphsh red 



Red Clover 



Some of the Clover-like plants are difficult to identify 

 by the leaves alone, and these may vary in a single species 

 in different conditions, or may be practically similar in 

 different species. Thus at 10 in the above key, identification 

 by leaves breaks down, and the characters of the pods have 

 been resorted to. This matters Uttle in the particular 

 case of the annuals described under 10, as in these cases pods 

 are to be found at almost all times that the plants are above 

 ground. 



The following points may assist in some identifications : 



Tritolium — Stipules usually membranous and trans- 

 parent over most of their area ; veined or tipped with red, 

 green or purple. 



Leaflets with stalks practically aU of the same length, 

 except in T. minus, where the terminal leaflet has the longest 

 stalk, and so is distant from the basal pair. 



Medicago. — Stipules usually green and leaf-like over 

 most or the whole of their area. 



Leaflets with the terminal one distinct from the basal 

 pair. This is due, not to the extra length of the stalk of 



