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T R I F O L I UM minus.
Lesser Yellow Trefoil.
J f 5
DIADELPHIA Decandria.
G e n . C h a r . Flowers m o re o r less c ap itate. Pod
sc a rc e ly lo n g e r th a n th e c a ly x , n e v e r b u rs tin g , b u t
fa llin g o ff en tire.
S p e c . C h a r . Heads hemispherical. Flower-stalks
straight and rigid. Standard nearly smooth. Stems
prostrate. Common footstalk shortest at the base.
Syn. Trifolium minus. Relh. 290.
T. filiforme @. Sm. FI. Brit. 793. With. 655.
Hull. 164.
T . procumbens. Huds. 328. Curt. Lond, fuse. 5.
t. 53.
T. dubium. Sihth. 231. Abbot. 163.
T. lupulinum alterum minus: Rail Syn. 330. t. 14.
ƒ. 3.
A c c o r d in g to our promise in v. 14. p. 945, we now proceed
to distinguish this plant from the real T. filiforme, to
which we were first led by the accurate remarks of the Rev.
Dr. Beeke, who has favoured us with specimens of both in
various states. Indeed both are common in dry gravelly pastures,
and flower throughout June and July.
T. minus has a small annual root, often furnished with little
knobs, as in Vicia lathyroides and other diadelphous plants.
Stems, when not supported, procumbent, round, somewhat
hairy, but little branched, from 6 to 24 inches long; in the
larger variety fig. 1, succulent and brittle, which is not the case
in fig. 2; notwithstanding which Dr. Beeke agrees with us to
consider them as merely varieties. Leaves on a very short general
footstalk, the central leaflet elevated on a much more
considerable partial stalk than in T. procumbens, t. 945, or in
T. filiforme', which circumstance well characterizes the species-
before us. The leaflets of all the 3 species are obovate, emar-
ginate and toothed; the stipulae half-ovate. The flowers of
Doth varieties of T. minus are from 12 to 15 on a straight stiff
stalk. Flowers yellow; their standard not broad nor very perceptibly
furrowed. Calyx-teeth extremely unequal, taper,
hairy. Seed l, rarely 2, in each pod.
Dr. Beeke has observed cows and sheep to be very fond of
the luxuriant variety f . 1, and esteems it likely to be a most
valuable plant for cultivation in upland pastures.
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