Lib. i. Of the Hiftory of Plants. 1185 
Chap. 494* 
Of three leafed fraffe, or <£M[ edom> Trefoile. 
ThtKindes. 
T Here be diuers forts of three leafed GrafTes,fome greater, others leffer ; fome beare floures of 
one colour, fome of another : fome of the water,and others of the land : fome ofa fweet fmel, 
others dinkingiand fir ft of the common medo'.v Trefoiles, called in Irifh Sbmrockes. 
The Defcriptien '. 
1 \ ,/fE^ olv Trefoile bringeth forth dalkes a cubit long, round, andfomething hairy, the 
iVI grater part of which crecpeth vpon the ground - whereon do grow leaues confiding 
of three ioyned together, one Handing a little from another s ofwhich thofe that are 
next the ground and roots are rounder, and they that grow on the vpper part longer, hauing for the 
* mod partin the middawhite fpot likeahalfe moon. The floures grow on the tops ofthedalkes in 
atufcorfmalIFox-taileeare,ofapurplecolour,and fweetoftade. The feed groweth in little 
huskes, round and blackifh : the root is long, vvooddy, and groweth deepe. 
2 There is another of the field T refoiles,differing from the precedent efpecially in the colour 
ofthe floures ; for as thofe are ofa bright purple, contrariwife thefe are very white, which maketh 
the difference. The leaues, floures, and all the whole plant is leffe than the former. 
3 . 4. There is alfo a Trefoile of this kinde which is fowne in fields of the Low-Countries, in 
I taly and diners other places beyond the feas,that commeth vp ranker and higher than that which 
groweth in medowes, and is an excellent food for cattell, both to fatten them, and caufe them to 
giue great dore of milke. 
t Of this there is one more with white floures, which hath ftalks fome foot high, and narrow 
hairy leaues, with a root of the thickneffe of ones little finger. This is Clufttts his Trifoltum mains 
Ggggg 3 frwmm, 
