98 



l^TEEDS AOT) USEFUL PLAXTS. 



qnently that insect rarely alights on the heads, bnt leaves them to the 

 more amply provided Humble Bee. I have met with a number of in- 

 stances in which the corolla was replaced by five distinct green leaflets — 

 with other modifications of the flower, which finely illustrated Goethe's 

 theory of retrograde metamorphosis. The nearly related Zigzag Clover 

 (T. medium), which has entire and spotless leaflets and larger, deeper 

 pnrple, and mostly stalked heads, is natm-alized in E. Massachusetts. 



Florets pedicellate in wnbel-liJce round heads ; corolla white or rose- 

 color, turning brownish in fading ; the short pedicels refiexed when old. 



3. T. re'pens, L. Stems creeping, diffuse ; leaflets roundish-obovate 

 and emarginate, or almost obcordate, denticnlate ; heads depressed-glo- 

 bose, on very long axillaiy peduncles ; legumes about 4rseeded. 



Creeping Tkifolium. "White Clover. Dutch Clover. 



Fr. Triolet. Trefle blanche. Germ. Weisser-Klee. Span. Trebol bianco. 



Ro(^ pereimial. Stem 4-12 or 15 inclies long, smooth, procumbent, radicating, diffusely 

 brandling from the base. Leaflets balf an incb to an inch long ; comnwri petiole 1 or 2- 6 

 or 8 inches long. Heads of flowers on erect sulcate naked peduncles which are f^-om 2-8 

 and twelve inches in length. Corolla white, withering and becoming a pale dirty brown. 

 Legume M- >2 of an inch long, torulose, 2 or 3-5-seeded. Seeds irregularly ovoid reddish- 

 brown. 



Pastures, woodlands, &c., throughout the United States. J?7. May -September. Fr. 

 July -October. 



Ohs. The pedicellate florets are somewhat corymbose — forming de- 

 pressed-globose or vertically flatted heads. The outer or lower florets 

 open first, and are successively reflexed, — so that, during the process of 

 flowering, the heads appear horizontally divided between the withered 

 and the young or opening florets. This species is everywhere common — 

 and in some years very abundant, — though rarely cultivated. Its flowers 

 are a favorite resort of the Honey Bee ; and the plant is esteemed, as 

 affording an excellent pasture in the cooler portions of the country — 

 though Mr. Elliott speaks unfavorably of it, in the South. Torret 

 and Gray consider the White Clover as indigenous, while others be- 

 lieve it to have been introduced from Europe. J onathax Dickixson, 

 in 1719 [vide Watson's Annals), writing from Pennsylvania, says, " the 

 white clover already tinges the roads as a natural production." ELalm, 

 in 1748, spoke of it as being abundant, here. T. reflex'uin, L., 

 (Buffalo Clover), which has ascending pubescent stemS; and very 

 large heads of red and white flowers, and the nearly related T. 

 stoloniferum, MiM. (Running Buffalo Clover), with long runners, 

 are common at the West. But little is known of their agricultural 

 value. Two introduced, annual species, are found in old fields and 

 along road-sides ; they have both yellow flowers, which are reflexed and 

 become chestnut-brown with age, viz. : T. agrdnum, L., ( Yellow 

 or Hop Clover), which is mostly erect, with leaflets all from the same 



