Trifolium procumbens 
Procumbent Trefoil 
TRIFOLIUM Lin. Gen. FI. Diadelphia Decandria. 
Flores fubcapitati. Legumen vix calyce longius, non delufcens, deciduum. 
Raii Syn. Gen. 24. Herba; flore papilionaceo seu leguminos.e. 
TRIFOLIUM procumbens fpicis ovalibus imbricatis : vexillis deflexis perfiftentibus, caulibus procumben- 
tibus. Linncei Syfi.'Veg. p. 574. Sp.Pl ic88. FI. Su'ec. n. 673. 
TRIFOLIUM fpicis ftrepentibus paucifloris, caulibus ereSis. Baller hijl. 364. 
TRIFOLIUM luteum flore lupulino minus. I. B. II. 381. 
TRIFOLIUM lupulinum alterum minus. Raii Syn. p. 330. a. 17. The lefler Hop-Trefoil. Hudfon. 
FI. Angi. ed. 2. p. 328. Lightfoot Flor. Scot. p. 409. 
RADIX annua, fibrofa. 
CAULES plures, fpithamaei, pedales et ultra, teretes, 
duriufculi, pilis adpreffis pubefcentes, praffer- 
tim ad extremitates, purpurei, procumbentes, 
ramofi. 
FOLIA terna, petiolata, remota, inferiora obcordata, 
fuperiora obovata, plerumque emarginata, ad 
apicem argute ferrata, plerumque laevia, venis 
redis, fimplicibus, utrinque impreflis. 
"PETIOLI breves, longitudine ftipularum. 
STIPULAE binae, ovatae, acutas, quinquenerves, ad 
margines pilofas, ball amplexicaules. 
PEDUNCULI unciales circiter, pubefcentes. 
SPICiE fubrotundae, multiflorae (raro infra odo, aut 
ultra viginti) laxius imbricatae. 
FLORES parvi, lutei, pedicellis breviflimis, infidentes. 
CALYX: Perianthium quinquedentatum, perfiftens, 
fubpilofum, dentibus tribus inferioribus lon- 
gioribus, fubulatis, jig. 1. 
COROLLA papilionacea, perfiftens, marcefcens, de- 
mum rufa, venis faturatioribus ftriata, jig. 2. 
PERICARP 1 UM : Legumen ovatum, compreffum, mo- 
nofpermum, deorfum reflexum, corolla per- 
flftente inclufum, jig. 3. 
ROOT annual and fibrous. 
STALKS feveral, a fpan, or even a foot or more in 
length, round, hardilh, downy, with hairs 
prelied clofe to the ftalk, particularly at the 
extremities, purple, procumbent, and branched. 
LEAVES growing three together, remotely, Handing on 
foot-ftalks, the lowermoft obcordate, the upper- 
moft obovate, for the moft part emarginate, 
towards the top finely ferrated, commonly 
fmooth, the veins ftraight, unbranched, im- 
; prefled on each fide of the leaf. 
; LEAF-STALKS fliort, the length of the ftipulas. 
i STIPULAE growing in pairs, ovate, pointed, five-ribbed, 
edged with hairs, and at the bafe embracing 
; the ftalk. 
: FLOWER-STALKS about an inch in length and downy. 
• SPIKES roundifti, many flowered, flowers feldom fewer 
> than eight or more than twenty, loofely im- 
bricated. 
FLOWERS fmall and yellow, fitting on very fliort 
foot-ftalks. 
; CALYX: a Perianthium with five teeth, permanent, 
and fomewhat hairy, the three lowermoft 
longer than the reft, and awl-lhaped, fig. 1. 
COROLLA papilionaceous, permanent, and withering, 
; finally becoming of a reddilh brown colour, 
: and ftriped with veins of a deeper colour, /g. 2. 
• SEED-VESSEL an ovate, flat Pod, turning backward, 
inclofed in the corolla, which continues, and 
containing one feed, fig. 3. 
The Trifolium procumbens is often found larger, but more frequently much fmaller, than the fpecimen we have 
here floured. When it grows luxuriantly it bears a near refemblance to the agrarium already publiftied : but in that 
fpecies°the fpikes are not only much larger, but alfo much more clofely imbricated, compared with the procumbens the 
agrarium may be confidered with us at leaft as a fcarce plant ; while that is found only in certain fpots, the procumbens 
is met with every where, there being fcarcely a dry, hilly pafture, or grafs plat, on which it may not be found. In 
its dwarf ftate it comes very near to the filiforme figured in Ray’s Synopfis, tab. 14. fig. 4. Indeed it is very difficult 
to affign their refpeftive limits ; but both Mr. Hudson and Mr. Lightfoot agree in making the filiforme a diftinft 
fpecics; and the latter affures us, that culture proves them to be fpecifically different. 
All the Trefoils are confidered as affording excellent pafturage and fodder for cattle. _ The prefent fpecies is, 
perhaps, not inferior to any of them in thel'e refpe&s ; but the quantity it affords is fo trifling, that it can fcarcely 
be thought worth cultivating, efpecially as it is only an annual. 
It flowers during the greateft part of the fummer. 
Haller deferibes it as growing upright, which it never does with us, unlefs drawn up by furrounding 
herbage. 
