Red Clover, Trifolium pratense
Family: Fabaceae, Bean Family
Vegetative Characteristics:
Seedling: cotyledons spatulate, 6.0-7.0 mm long, glabrous; first true leaf unifoliate, oval, truncate; subsequent leaves trifoliate
Stems: prostrate or occasionally erect, up to 0.6 m tall, glabrous or usually densely pubescent, rooting at lower nodes
Leaves: trifoliate, leaflets 2.0-3.0 cm long, 1.0-1.5 cm wide, elliptic to ovate, margins entire, each with a prominent white V; leaves usually pubescent on both sides but sometimes only on lower surface; stipules 1.0-3.0 cm long, ovate-lanceolate or ovate
Reproductive Characteristics:
Inflorescences: nearly globose cluster, 1.0-3.0 cm long, sessile or peduncle less than 5.0 mm long; calyx tube 10-nerved, pubescent; corolla 1.2-1.8 cm long, pink to purplish
Fruits: legume, 4.0-5.0 mm long, ovoid or oblong, smooth above, wrinkled below, 1 seed per pod
Seeds: mitten shaped, 2.0-3.0 mm long, yellow to brown to purple
Special Identifying Characteristics:
⇒ erect or ascending, cool-season perennial or biennial; leaves trifoliate, each leaflet with a prominent white V; flowers pink to purple; plants taller than white clover
