- Trifolium pratense
Taxobox
name = Red Clover
image_width = 240px
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Fabales
familia =Fabaceae
subfamilia =Faboideae
genus = "Trifolium"
species = "T. pratense"
binomial = "Trifolium pratense"
binomial_authority = L."Trifolium pratense" (Red Clover) is a species of
clover , native toEurope , westernAsia and northwestAfrica , but planted and naturalised in many other regions.It is an
herbaceous perennial plant , variable in size, growing to 20-80 cm tall. The leaves are alternate, trifoliate (with three leaflets), each leaflet 15-30 mm long and 8-15 mm broad, green with a characteristic pale crescent in the outer half of the leaf; the petiole is 1-4 cm long, with two basalstipule s. Theflower s are dark pink with a paler base, 12-15 mm long, produced in a denseinflorescence 2-3 cm diameter.The plant was named "Trifolium pratense" by
Carolus Linnaeus in 1753. "Pratense" isLatin for "found in meadows".There are seven varieties:
*"Trifolium pratense" var. "pratense" Widespread.
*"Trifolium pratense" var. "americanum" Southeastern Europe (despite the name).
*"Trifolium pratense" var. "frigidum" Mountains of central and southern Europe (Pyrenees ,Alps ,Balkans ).
*"Trifolium pratense" var. "maritimum" SouthernBaltic Sea coast.
*"Trifolium pratense" var. "parviflorum" Europe.
*"Trifolium pratense" var. "sativum"Mediterranean region . Robust-growing, with hairless or nearly hairless foliage.
*"Trifolium pratense" var. "villosum" Alps. Densely hairy foliage.Diseases
Uses and symbolism
It is widely grown as a
fodder crop, valued for itsnitrogen fixation which increases soil fertility. For these reasons it is used as agreen manure crop. SeveralCultivar Group s have been selected for agricultural use, mostly derived from var. "sativum". It has become naturalised in many temperate areas, including theAmericas andAustralasia as an escape from cultivation.The
isoflavone s andphytoestrogen s from Red Clover have been used to treat the symptoms ofmenopause . Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid ingesting Red Clover. It has also been reported that red clover can be used for therapeutic purposes forcough s,bronchitis ,eczema ,sore s,scrofula and can be gargled formouth ulcer s andsore throat s.Fact|date=March 2007It is the national flower of
Denmark [ [http://www.ambwashington.um.dk/en/menu/InformationaboutDenmark/Culture/DanishNationalSymbols/Other+National+Symbols/ Other National Symbols - Embassy of Denmark Washington ] ] and the state flower ofVermont .It is also an ingredient in eight-herb
essiac tea.References
* [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Trifolium&SPECIES_XREF=pratense&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: "Trifolium pratense"]
* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?300623 Germplasm Resources Information Network: "Trifolium pratense"]External links
* [http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-1533:1 "Red-clover seed production in the Intermountain States"] hosted by the [http://digital.library.unt.edu/browse/department/govdocs/ UNT Government Documents Department]
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