Trifolium repens

Trifolium repens, commonly known as white clover, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe, including the British Isles, and central Asia and is one of the most widely cultivated types of clover.

Description

Trifolium repens is a low growing plant with a creeping growth habit. It has trifoliate (three-parted) leaves, which are usually marked with a white or pale green chevron. The flowers are white or pinkish, becoming brown and deflexed as they age. The seeds are small and hard, with a dark, water-impermeable seed coat.

Distribution and habitat

Trifolium repens is native to Europe and central Asia but has been introduced to many other parts of the world, including North America and Australasia. It is commonly found in grassy areas, such as lawns, meadows and pastures, and is often used in agriculture as a forage crop.

Cultivation and uses

Trifolium repens is widely cultivated as a forage crop for livestock due to its high protein content and ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. It is also used in lawn mixtures for its ability to withstand heavy foot traffic and to provide a continuous display of flowers.

Ecology

Trifolium repens is a food plant for the caterpillars of several Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species, including the Common Blue Butterfly and the Silver Y Moth. It also has a mutualistic relationship with rhizobia, bacteria that live in nodules on the roots of the plant and fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.

See also

• Clover
• Fabaceae
• Nitrogen fixation