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Fam: Leguminosae Juss. (Fabaceae) 
Genus:   Trifolium L.
English Name: Clover

Description:

Perennial, biennial or annual herbaceous, or bare fiber plants, rarely woodened at the base. Stems erect, ascending or lying, four ridged or almost round. Leaves triple, consecutive, above often almost opposite, with well developed, tunicates or grassy, ​​more or less fused with petiole stipule, less digitate with 5 (-8) leaflets. Leaflets elliptical to linear, reverse ovate or nearly round, usually serrated equal to each other stalks or middle of a long stalk. Inflorescences spherical, ovoid or cylindrical heads, on stems, sessile, axillary or lie peak located, at the base with or without in inflorescences leaves. Flowers sessile or with stems, at the base with or without membranous bracts, all fertile or fertile only end, internal sterile. Pipe-like calyx or bell-shaped, often bilabial and then overblown swell BLISTER, the teeth of the calyx equal or unequal each other; A tube of the calyx goals and fiber with 5 - 30 veins, its throat is often closed with a two-axle epidermal thickening or ring of hairs. Petals after overblown or lichens lasting longer or shorter than the calyx, often brown leather, glued to one another and to the tube of the tube of the stamen.
Stamens twins, all or five of them with expanded to the top stems. Beans membranous or leathery, ovoid or short elliptical, included in the calyx or slightly protruding outwards, less dramatically exceeded, unhatched or burst up the abdominal stitches. Seeds 1 - 4 (10) in number.
Insects pollinating. Multiply by seed and vegetatively, often at the end of flowering inflorescences bury themselves in the soil.
Economic importance. One of the best fodder and honey plants, rich in protein and vitamins. Some are used in folk medicine.

Table for determining the types

1   The tube of the calyx with 5 (6) more or less clear streaks ……………………................................................................................ 2
1* The tube of the calyx at least 8 stripped .......................................................................................................................................... 17
2   Blossoms yellow or brown, rarely dark purple .................................................................................................................................. 3
2*  Blossoms white or pink, rarely brown, but then plants with creeping rhizomes ................................................................................. 13
3   Corolla purple, after overblown brown, at the base always dark to almost black. Flag with round lamina, 6.0 - 8.0 mm in diameter ......................................................................................................................................................................... 8. - T. speciosum Willd.
3* Corolla yellow, after overblown evenly brown to almost black. Flag ovoid, elliptical, with narrower than 5.0 mm lamina ...................... 4
4    Upper leaves almost opposite. Heads seemingly on top located 1 - 2 ................................................................................................ 5
4* All leaves in series. Heads numerous on branches and in the bosom of the leaves ………..............................................................….. 6
5    Blossom stems 2 - 3 times shorter than A pan tube .................................................................................... ......... 9. - T. spadiceum L.
5*  Blossom stems equal or almost equal to the tube of the calyx ...........................................................................11. - T. badium Schreb.
6  All leaflets on upper leaves of equal each other very short stems - almost sessile ................................................................................... 7
6* Top leaflet of upper leaves with clear longer stem .............................................................................................................................. 11
7   Blossom stems equal or slightly longer than the  tube of the calyx, fruit more than 1.5 times longer than her. Flag almost circular ……............................... .................................................................................................................................... 16. - T. sebastianii Savi
7*  Blossom stems shorter than the  tube of the calyx and mostly fruiting stalks at most 1.5 times longer than the upper lip of the tube of the calyx, usually much shorter. Flag back ovate to elliptic ovoid ................................................................................................................................ 8
8   Corolla 2.0 - 3.0 (3.5) mm long. Heads with a 1 - 6, rarely 12 blossoms .......................................................... 17. - T. micranthum Viv.
8* Corolla 5.0 - 8.0 mm long. Heads more than 12 rarely some with 6 blossoms ........................................................................................ 9
9   Stipule upper leaves lance ovate, basically non-extended ......................................................................................... 10. - T. aureum Poll.
9* Stipule of upper leaves ovate heart-shaped at the base expanded, most often with ears ….................................................................... 10
10 Leaflets elliptical ovate to elliptic rhombic, widest in the middle part ...... ............................. ....................... 12. - T. velenovskyi Vandas
10* Leaflets wedge back ovoid or elliptical closely reverse ovate, widest in its upper third ……….. .......................... 14. - T. patens Schreb.
11  Heads 5.0 - 6.0 mm in diameter. The blossoms 5 - 15. Corolla 3.0 - 3.5 mm long, faintly streaked ........................ 15. - T. dubium Sibth.
11* Heads 6.0 - 15.0 mm in diameter. Blossoms 20 - 40. Corolla 3.0 - 10.0 mm long, more or less clearly furrowed ................................ 12
12   The top of the keel with a sharp tooth. Blossoms (3.0) 4.0 - 5.0 (6.0) mm long ............................................ 13. - T. campestre Schreb.
12* The top of the keel without sharp tooth. Blossoms 5.5 - 7.5 mm long ..............................................................… 14. - T. patens Schreb.
13(2 *) All blossoms fruit, more than 7 in number. Heads do not bury themselves in the soil ........................................................................ 14
13* The blossoms of two types - fruit 2 - 5 (7) and barren underdeveloped. Heads after overblown be bury themselves in the soil ............................................................................................................................................................................... 59. - T. subterraneum L.
14   Stipule triangular Lancet. Upper teeth of the calyx in beans diverted back …………………................................. 5. - T. nigrescens Viv.
14* Stipule ovate or broadly ovoid lancet. The teeth of the calyx in beans straight .........................................................................................15
15   The teeth of the calyx almost equal to each other, styliform. Lealets with clearly protruding veins .................................. 4 - T. hybridum L.
15* The teeth of the calyx uneven one another, Lance wedge. Leafletts with paper texture and unclear stripped ........................................... 16
16   A flag broadly ovate back. The blossoms after overblown dark to blackish-brown ………….. ………….....…3. - T. pallescens Schreb.
16* A flag ovoid lance. Blossoms overblown in light brown or yellowish …............................................................................ 2. - T. repens L.
17(1*) The blossoms of two types - fruit 2 - 15 and barren - only cups and develop a little later than others, or after flowering them ............. 18
17* Fruit blossoms numerous barren missing ............................................................................................................................................... 19
18   Corolla twice longer than the calyx, this (calyx) naked or almost naked. Fruiting heads usually samozaravyat the ground .……………………………...............................................................................................................…………...... 59. - T. subterraneum L.
18* Corolla slightly longer than densely spread fiber calyx. Fruiting heads not buried in the ground ...................................... 60. - T. globosum L.
19   Blossoms at the base with webbed lance or short collar like bract, sometimes bracts wrap groups of several blossoms. Throat of the calyx not closed by the hair or epidermal ring ……..................................................................................................................................................…. 20
19*  Blossoms at the base without bracts, rarely with some immature fibrous bracts. Throat of the calyx tube (most clearly in beans) more or less closed by the hair or epidermal ring or calloused thickened ............................................................................................................................. 33
20   The tube of the calyx with 8 - 12 veins .......................................... ......................................................................................................... 21
20* The tube of the calyx with 20 - 30 veins that are sometimes associated with cross spider veins   ……………...........................………… 32
21   Stipule short pointed, as the leaflets, edge glandular toothed .......................................................................................... 25. - T. strictum L.
21* Stipule long fibrous or styliform pointed as the leaflets, on edge without glands  ........................................................................................ 22
22   Corolla shorter than the calyx ......................................................................................................................................... 7. - T. retusum L.
22 * Corolla longer than the calyx .................................................................................................................................................................. 23
23   Head seated, axillary or located on top, The teeth of the calyx after overblown strongly curved back ………………....................…........ 24
23*  Heads on longer or shorter stems. A teeth of the calyx in pre-flowering straight or slightly inward or outward diverted .............................. 25
24    A teeth of the calyx at the base suddenly wide triangular expanded up, styliform above, equal to each other ............. 22. - T. glomeratum L.
24* A teeth of the calyx gradually narrow triangular lance drained, clearly unequal to each other ....................................... 18. - T. suffocatum L.
25   Stems mostly in the upper part of thick gray-fitting fiber. Leaflets elliptical or elliptical lance. Calyx straight ..................... 1. - T. montanum L.
25* Stems naked or nearly naked or short scattered to moderate fibrous, but then slips back ovate to elliptic and ovoid, calyx bilabial, after overblown swell BLISTER ............................................................................................................................................................................ 26
26   Calyx bilabial and then overblown swell BLISTER; A lower teeth of the calyx 2 - 3 times as long as the above ......................................... 27
26* Calyx straight after overblown, not swell BLISTER; lower teeth of the calyx at the outside 1/3 longer than the upper ................................. 29
27   A flag in the developed blossoms underneath the keel above. Annuals plants …………………. .............................. 24. - T. resupinatum L.
27* A flag is always on top. The keel below.  Perennials ................................................................................................................................. 28
28   Bracts fused in the wrong envelope equal to the tube of the calyx or slightly longer. Blssoms 5.0 - 7.0 (7.5) mm long .... 23. - T. fragiferum L.
28* Bracts free, shorter than the blossoms stems. Blossoms (8.0) 10.0 - 14.0 mm long ……………. .................. 21. - T. physodes Stev. ex MV
29   Leaflets more or less leathery with a strong convex streaks and around the edge serrated …....................................................................... 30
29*  Leaflets grassy with  vague veins in the upper half serrated ........................................................................................................................ 31
30   Blossoms 10.0 - 12.0 mm long. Stipule at the base with ears …............................................................................... 6 - T. michelianum Savi
30*  Blossoms 5.0 - 8.0 mm long. Stipule at the base without ears ……..........................................................................…… 4. - T. hybridum L.
31   A flag ovoid lance. The blossoms in overblown brown to yellow  ……..........................................................................…… 2. - T. repens L.
31* A flag broadly ovoid or elliptical. The blossoms in overblown dark- to blackish-brown .......................................... 3. - T. pallescens Schreb.
32(20*) Corolla greatly exceed calyx. Leaflets elliptical, elliptical lanceolate, rarely ovoid lance  ....................................  20. - T. setiferum Boiss.
32* Corolla slightly exceed calyx. Leaflets broadly ovate back. to reverse triangular, rarely almost rhombic ......................... 19. - T. spumosum L.
33 (19*) All or most of the calyxes clear with 20, sometimes slightly visible from densely silky coated cloth veined .......................................... . 34
33*  Calyxes with 8 – 10, at most some of them with up to 14 veins ................................................................................................................ 39
34   Perennial plants with narrowly lanceolate, narrowly ovate, linear elliptic or narrowly elliptic to ovate, narrowly rhombic longer than 20.0 mm leaves .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 35
34* Annual plants with back ovoid or back ovoid to back heart-shaped wedge, 5.0 - 12.0 (16.0) mm long leaves ............................................ 37
35   Stipule to the top fibrous, styliform or closely linear membranous  ...................................................................................... 46. - T. alpestre L.
35* Stipule to the top naked lantsetni or narrowly triangular grassy .................................................................................................................... 36
36   Stipule at least at its peak jagged and more than half of its lenght fused   ............................................................................... 47. - T. rubens L.
36* Stipule entire, fused to 1/2 of its length  .......................................................................................................................... .. 43. - T. medium L.
37   The tube of the calyx bare or at the base of the teeth more or less fiber. Fruiting heads on short stalks, leaves enveloped by stipule ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 40. - T. lappaceum L.
37* The tube of the calyx fiber. Sessile heads, wrapped by stipule of in inflorescence leaves …..........................................................................  38
38   The free part of the stipule except those at the upper leaves long, linear lanceolate, straight. Corolla longer than the calyx .............................................................................................................................................................................................. .. 41. - T. hirtum All.
38* The free part of the stipule except those at the upper leaves short, ovoid lanceolate, often tucked. . Corolla does not exceed calyx .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 - T. cherleri L.
39 (33 *) Perennial plants ……………………….............................................................................................................................................. 40
39* Annuals plants ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 48
40   The bottom tooth of the calyx 2 - 3 times longer than the other 4, linear ........................................................................................................ 41
40* The teeth of the calyx equal to each other or the bottom at least 2 times longer than the other .............................. ......................................... 42
41   Corolla 20.0 - 25.0 mm long. Inflorescence stems 40.0 - 80.0 mm long  ................................................................ 53. - T. pannonicum Jacq.
41* Corolla 15.0 - 20.0 mm long. Inflorescence stems no longer than 25.0 mm ............................................................ 52. - T. ochroleucon Huds.
42   Above between nodes with outstretched cloth ..................................................................................................................... ....................... 43
42* Above between nodes with off-standing or slightly outstretched cloth or bare ............................................................................................... 45
43   The teeth of the calyx blunted linear styliform. Stipule of middle stem leaves suddenly drained in line styliform awn ...…….. 37. - T. pratense L.
43* The teeth of the calyx pointed. Stipule of the middle stem leaves gradually narrowed in line Lancet grassy peak ............................................. 44
44   Corolla purple. The above stipule lance .............................................................................................................................. 43. - T. medium L.
44* Corolla cream-colored. The above stipule ovoid lance .................................................................................. 45 - T. pignantii Fauhe et Chaub.
45   The teeth of the calyx blunted linear styliform. Stipule of middle stem leaves suddenly pointed in line styliform awn ............... 37 - T. pratense L .
45* The teeth of the calyx pointed. Stipule of middle stem leaves gradually narrowed in line Lancet grassy peak .................................................. 46
46   Corolla (18.0) 20.0 - 30.0 mm long. Inflorescence stems 40.0 - 50.0 mm long  ...................................................... 53. - T. pannonicum Jacq.
46* Corolla 15.0 - 18.0 (20.0) mm long. Inflorescence stems up to 40.0 (50.0) mm long ................................................................................... 47
47   The teeth of the calyx filamentary, naked or almost naked, all longer than the tube. Corolla pink ................ .. 44. - T. heldreichianum Hausskn.
47* The teeth of the calyx lance styliform, at least at the base spread fiber, 4 upper tube equal to or shorter. Corolla yellowish white, rarely slightly pink ............................................................................................................................................................................ 52. - T. ochroleucon Huds.
48 (39*) Heads sessile seemingly overcoat or axillary, basically encased in stipule leaves in inflorescence ............................................................. 49
48*  Heads on stems, outer or lateral situated, rarely some bosom seated  .......................................................................................................... 60
49   All leaves consecutive ................................................................................................................................................................................. 50
49* At least two of the upper leaves opposite .................................................................................................................................................... 56
50   Lateral veins of the leaflets straight ………………….................................................................................................................................. 51
50* Lateral veins of the leaflets curved and often thickened to the edge of the sheet ............................................................................................ 55
51   Corolla most barely longer than the teeth of the calyx .................................................................................................................................. 52
51* Corolla clearly longer than the lower of the calyx tooth ................................................................................................................................ 54
52   The heads 15.0 - 35.0 mm spherical or ovoid. Blossoms 10.0 - 13.0 mm ………………......................…………….. 39. - T. diffusum Ehrh.
52* Heads 9.0 - 15.0 mm cylindrical or conical. Blossoms 9.0 - 15.0 mm ......................................................................................................... 53
53   Leaves with shorter with shorter stems thereof. Leaflets closely elliptical wedge to wedge. Tube of the calyx does not swell in beans and its teeth are not spread out ....... ...................................................................................................................................................... 29. - T. bocconei Savi
53* Leaves with 2 - 3 times longer than their stems. Leaflets back ovoid wedge. Tube of the calyx in the beans more or less swollen and teeth more or less spread ........................................................................................................................................................................... 26. - T. striatum L.
54   Corolla twice longer than the calyx. Leaflets of upper leaves linear or linear elliptic …………..................................... 30. - T. tenuifolium Ten.
54* Corolla 1.5 times longer than the calyx. Leaflets of upper leaves ovate wedge back to back heart-ovate, deeply concave on the top .............................................................................................................................................................. 31. Balkan clover - T. trichopterum Panč
55   Blossoms 4.0 - 6.0 (7.0) mm long. Corolla equal to calyx, shorter than her or slightly exceeding ......................................... 34. - T. scabrum L.
55*  Blossoms 8.0 - 10.0 mm long. Corolla twice longer than the calyx ............................................................................. 35. - T. dalmaticum Vis.
56   The teeth of the calyx triangular laceolate in bean spread or distorted ............................................................................................................ 57
56* The teeth of the calyx styliform or filamentary straight in beans ...................................................................................................................... 59
57   A throat of the calyx tube closed with a ring of hairs ..................................................................................... 32. - T.phleoides Pourr. ex Willd.
57* A throat of the calyx tube closed by bilabial epidermal thickening, leaving only a narrow vertical opening ....................................................... 58
58   A tube of the calyx grainy, bare or sparsely hairy-fitting at the top. Leaflets 10.0 - 20.0 mm long .................................  58. - T. squamosum L.
58* A tube of the calyx ovoid, densely hairy. Leaflets 20.0 - 40.0 (70.0) mm long .... ......................................................... 50. - T. squarrosum L.
59   Corolla much longer than the calyx. The teeth of the calyx 1 - 1,1/2 times longer than tube .............................. 38. - T. pallidum Waldst. et Kit.
59* Corolla most barely longer than the calyx. The teeth of the calyx twice longer than tube ……. ...................................... 39. - T. duffusum Ehrh.
60 (48 *) The above leaves successive .................................................................................................................... .......................................... 61
60* At least two top leaves opposite .................................................................................................................................................................. 69
61    Leaflets of upper leaves lanceolate, linear or linear elliptic ............................................................................................................................ 62
61*  Leaflets of upper leaves heart-shaped, back ovoid wedge ........................................................................................................................... 66
62   Heads 10.0 - 25.0 mm usually numerous. Throat of the calyx is not closed by bilabial epidermal thickening ................................................... 63
62* Heads (20.0) 30.0 - 110.0 mm in length, one or several. Throat of the calyx at maturity narrowed by bilabial epidermal thickening ................ 65
63   The teeth of the calyx triangular lance, scattered ciliates or bare ……………………………....................….32 - T. phleoides Pourr. ex Willd.
63* The teeth of the calyx filamentary usually densely fibrous ............................................................................................................................... 64
64   Corolla much shorter than the calyx .................................................................................................................................... 27. - T. arvense L.
64* Corolla equal to calyx or longer than it  ........................................................................................................................ 28. - T. affine C. Presl.
65   Blossoms  10.0 - 12.0 mm long. Corolla most barely longer than the calyx ................................................................. 48. - T. angustifolium L.
65*  Blossoms 12.0 - 25.0 mm long. Corolla much longer than the calyx ....................................................................... 49. - T. purpureum Loisel.
66   Corolla twice shorter than the calyx ........................................................................................................... 33. - T. ligusticum Balb. ex Loisel.
66* Corolla equal to calyx or longer than it ......................................................................................................................................................... 67
67   The teeth of the calyx uneven - the four upper shorter than the tube, the lower longer than it .......................................................................... 68
67* The teeth of the calyx almost equal each other, with an upright protruding cloth .............................................................. 36. - T. incarnatum L.
68   The teeth of the calyx and the calyx long spread fiber, in beans strongly outstretched ………….............................. 51. - T. smyrnaeum Boiss.
68* The teeth of the calyx and the calyx short bristly in beans harvested ................................................ 55. Alexandria clover - T. alexandrinum L.
69   Leaflets 50.0 - 60.0 mm long and 4.5 mm wide, linear, elliptical, pointed ..................................................................... 56. - T. latinum Sebast.
69*  Leaflets 8.0 - 40.0 mm long and 4.0 - 15.0 mm wide, blunt ..................................................................................................................... .. 70
70   The teeth of the calyx with a streak or most basically three streaks ............................................................................................................... 71
70* The teeth of the calyx with three veins .......................................................................................................................................................... 72
71   Calyx narrowed under the teeth in the neck of the tube, then overblown swollen; teeth after overblown picked .......... 55. - T. alexandrinum L.
71* Calyx and then overblown bell-shaped or cylindrical, not swell; teeth after overblown spread ....................................... 54. - T. echinatum MB
72   Calyx goals or upper scattered fibrous .................................................................................................................. ...... 58. - T. squamosum L.
72* Calyx densely fibrous ................................................................................................................................................................................... 73
73  Corolla 6.0 - 8.0 mm long. The teeth of the calyx almost equal to each other ................................................................ 57. - T.leucanthum MB
73* Corolla 9.0 - 12.0 mm long. The teeth of the calyx uneven each other  …………………….......................................... 50. - T. squarrosum L.
¹ developed by St., Kožhuharov.
From „Флора на НР България”, том VI, БАН, София, (1976)

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Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the genus Trifolium (Latin, tres "three" + folium "leaf"), consisting of about 300 species of plants in the leguminous pea family Fabaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution; the highest diversity is found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes on mountains in the tropics. They are small annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial herbaceous plants. Clover can be evergreen. The leaves are trifoliate (rarely quatrefoiled, cinquefoil, or septfoil), with stipules adnate to the leaf-stalk, and heads or dense spikes of small red, purple, white, or yellow flowers; the small, few-seeded pods are enclosed in the calyx. Other closely related genera often called clovers include Melilotus (sweet clover) and Medicago (alfalfa or 'cavalry clover').
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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References: „Флора на НР България”, том VI, БАН, София, (1976), Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Distribution in Bulgaria: (Conspectus of the Bulgarian Vascular Flora) = conspectus&gs_l= Zlc.
Distribution:

SPECIES:

Trifolium aureum Polich EN.html - Large hop trefoil, Large trefoil, Large hop clover, Golden clover, Hop clover

Trifolium campestre Schreber - Hop trefoil, Field clover, Low hop clover

Trifolium incarnatum L. - Crimson clover, Italian clover

Trifolium medium L. - Zig zag clover

Trifolium ochroleucon Huds. - Sulfur clover

Trifolium pannonicum Jacq. - Hungarian clover

Trifolium patens Schreber - Trefle etale

Trifolium pratense L. - The red clover

Trifolium purpureum Loisel - Purple clover

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