Trifolium fragiferum Strawberry Trefoil. 
TRIFOLIUM. Linnai Gen . PL Diadelphia Decandria. 
Plores fubcapitati. Legumen vix calyce longior, non dehifcens, deciduum. 
Rail Syn. Gen. 23. Herbae flore papilionaceo seu leguminosa:. 
TRIFOLIUM fragiferum fpicis fubrotundis, calycibus inflatis bidentatis reflexis, caulibus repentibus. 
Lintuei Syjl. Vegetal p. 574. Sp. Pl. p. 1086. FI. Suecic. p. 26. 
TRIFOLIUM caule repente ; fpicis glabris ; calycibus fericeis, ampullafcentibus. Haller, hijl. n. 370. 
TRIFOLIUM fragiferum Scopoli FI. Carniol n. 933. 
TRIFOLIUM fragiferum frificum. Bauhin pin. 329. 
TRIFOLIUM fragiferum Gerard, emac. 1208. 
Raii Syn. 329. Strawberry Trefoil. 
Hudfon FI. Angi. p. 286. 
RADIX perennis, fimplex, alba, granulis oblita. 
CAULES repentes, purpurafcentes, in longum exten- 
fi, ramofi, teretes, heves. 
STIPULAE ovato-acuminatze, reticulatas. 
PEDUNCULI folitarii, longi, teretes, lseves, ere&iuf- 
culi. 
CAPITULI floriferi parvi, fubrotundi, Trifolii repen- 
tis asmuli, at minores, et magis purpurei ; his 
fuccedunt Capituli fruttiferi, rotundi, carnei, 
magnitudine nucis myrifticas parvas, Fraga- 
riis mentientes. 
FOLIA terna, petiolis hirfutulis infidentia, obovata, 
Iasvia, juniora vero leniter hirfuta, acute fer- 
rata, mucronata, venis ad marginem divarican- 
tibus. 
CALYX : Involucrum polyphyllum, foliolis fetaceis, 
Perianthium tubulofum,villofum,fupra gib- 
bofum, quinquedentatum, dentibus tribus in- 
ferioribus asqualibus acuminatis viridibus, duo- 
bus fuperioribus paulo longioribus, fubulatis, 
rigidulis, apicibus rufis, fg. 2. 3. 4. pars gib- 
bofa calycis demum mire mutatur, augetur, 
inflatur, reticulata fit, et pericarpium obtegit ; 
dentes vero retinet, fg. 8. 
COROLLA papilionacea, purpurea ; Vexillum Alis 
longior, comprefliim, lineis rofeis pidtum ; 
Ala: breves, minima; ; Carina Alis brevior; 
fg. 2 : unufquifque flofculus palea concava, 
fubulata, fuffiilcitur. fg. 1. 
STAMINA ut in plerifque hujus generis ; Anthera: 
flavas, fg. 6. 
PISTILLUM : Germen ovatum: Stylus longitudine 
flaminum: Stigma capitatum, fg.'j. 
PERICARPIUM : Legumen ovatum comprefliim dif- 
permum aut monolpermum, calyce inflato ob- 
te£lum. fg. 9. 10. 
SEMEN ovato-reniforme, nitidum, fg. 1 1 . 
ROOT perennial, white, befet with little grains. 
STALKS creeping, purplifh, extending to a confiderable 
length, branched, round, and fmooth. 
STIPUL/E oval, with a long point, and reticulated. 
FOOT-STALKS of the flowers, Angle, long, round, 
fmooth, and nearly upright. 
HEADS of the flowers fmall, roundifh, like thofe of the 
Creeping or Dutch Clover, but fmaller and 
more purple : to thefe fucceed the heads con- 
taining the fruit, which are round, flelh co- 
loured, the fize of a fmall nutmeg, and very 
much refembling Strawberries. 
LEAVES growing three together, fitting on foot-ftalks, 
flightly hairy, inverfly oval, fmooth; the 
younger ones fometimes hairy, fharply fer- 
rated, and terminating in a fhcrt point ; the 
veins divaricating at the margin. 
CALYX : Involucrum confiflingof many fetaceous fo- 
lioli or little leaves : Perianthium tubular, 
villofe, gibbous above, having five teeth, the 
three lowermoft of which are equal, with 
long green points, the two uppermoft a little 
longer, with tapering rigid reddifh points, 
fg. 2. 3. 4. the gibbous part of the calyx at 
length becomes wonderfully changed, increa- 
fed, fwollen, reticulated, and covers the peri- 
carpium ; ftill however retaining its teeth. 
fg. 8. # 
COROLLA papilionaceous, and of a purple colour; 
the Vexillum longer than the Alae, flat and 
ftreaked with rofe-coloured lines ; the Wings 
Ihort and very fmall ; the Keel fhorter than 
the Wings, fg. 2. each flofculeis fupportedby a 
fmall, tapering, hollow leaf, or palea, fg. 1. 
STAMINA like moft of thofe in this genus : Anther a: 
yellow, fg. 6. 
PISTILLUM :. Germen oval : Style the length of the 
Stamina: Stigma forming a little head._/g-. 7. 
SEED-VESSEL : an oval, flatten’d Legumen, con- 
taining one or two feeds, and cover’d over 
with the inflated calyx, fg. 9. 10. 
SEED of an oval kidney fhape and fhining. fg. 1 1. 
The beautiful Strawberry like appearance of the capituli or little heads, containing the feed of this plant, and 
which a rife from a very peculiar circumflance, the inflation or enlargement of the calyx after the blofiom is over, 
in a very ftriking manner diftinguifhes this fpecies from the Trifolium repens , to which in its general habit it is very 
nearly allied. It differs from the repens alfo in feveral other refpefls ; the whole plant is fmaller ; the bloffoms are 
of a more purple hue ; its place of growth is alfo fomewhat different : the repens feems to delight in a dry gravelly 
foil, the fragiferum on the contrary, moft ufually occurs in a moift fituation ; nor is it fo common a plant as the 
repens ; yet it abounds in many places about London. I have obferved it plentifully in the lanes about Horn fey 
alio near Paticras, and in many other parts. It flowers and produces its feeds in Auguft. J ' ’ 
It may with great eafe be cultivated in a Garden, if it fhould be thought worthy a place there. 
Haller quotes an Author, * who fays, they have begun to cultivate it in Ireland for Cattle, and that when fown 
it has grown to the length of feven feet : without controverting this fad, which borders a little on the incredible’ 
we would obferve, that the Dutch Clover is certainly a much ftronger plant, and to be preferred in a dry fituation ■ 
in moift fixations, there are many of the Grafles which may be cultivated to far greater advantage as neither of 
thele Trefoils produce much of a crop ’till late in the Summer. 0 ’ 
Baker Experim, p 98. 
