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Red Clover

Trifolium pratense

Summary 5

Trifolium pratense (red clover) is a species of clover, native to Europe, Western Asia and northwest Africa, but planted and naturalised in many other regions.

Comments 6

Among the various Trifolium spp. (Clovers), Red Clover is fairly easy to identify because of its large pink flowerheads and the white chevrons on its leaflets. It is unusual among the clovers in having sessile leaflets at the base of the flowerheads. There is some variability in the hairiness of the foliage and the color of the flowers. The common name is somewhat misleading because the flowers are never a true red. On rare occasions, a compound leaf will produce 4 or more leaflets.

Habitat and ecology 7

Habitat and Ecology

Trifolium patulum is a perennial herb which occurs in rocky woodland and scrub. It has been reported from very steep mountainsides and in association with Abies, Acer pseudoplatanus, Carpinus betulus, Coronilla, Corylus avellana, Cotinus cogygria, Fraxinus ornus and Juniperus oxycedrus.

Systems
  • Terrestrial

Flower visiting insects and birds of red clover in illinois 8

Trifolium pratense (Red Clover) introduced
(Bees suck nectar or collect pollen, beetle activity is unspecified, while hummingbirds & other insects suck nectar; short-tongued bees, butterflies, skippers, & moths are non-pollinating according to Robertson; most observations are from Robertson, otherwise they are from Reed, Graenicher, Lewis, Macior, Fothergill & Vaughn, Swengel & Swengel, Lisberg & Young, Smith et al., and Williams as indicated below)

Birds
Trochilidae: Archilochus colubris (Rb, Gr)

Bees (long-tongued)
Apidae (Bombini): Bombus auricomus sn (Rb, Mc), Bombus bimaculatus sn (Rb, Re), Bombus fervida sn fq (Mc), Bombus fraternus sn, Bombus griseocallis sn cp fq (Rb, Mc), Bombus impatiens sn (Rb, Mc), Bombus pensylvanica sn cp fq (Rb, Mc), Bombus vagans sn cp (Rb, Mc), Psithyrus citrinus sn, Psithyrus variabilis sn fq; Anthophoridae (Anthophorini): Anthophora abrupta sn, Anthophora ursina sn cp, Anthophora walshii sn; Anthophoridae (Eucerini): Melissodes bimaculata bimaculata sn, Melissodes communis communis (Smh), Svastra petulca (Smh), Synhalonia speciosa sn cp fq; Megachilidae (Anthidinini): Anthidium psoraleae sn cp fq; Megachilidae (Megachilini): Megachile brevis brevis sn cp; Megachilidae (Osmiini): Hoplitis pilosifrons sn, Osmia cordata sn cp

Bees (short-tongued)
Halictidae (Halictinae): Halictus rubicunda cp; Andrenidae (Panurginae): Calliopsis andreniformis cp

Flies
Bombyliidae: Exoprosopa fasciata

Butterflies
Nymphalidae: Agraulis vanillae (FV), Danaus plexippus, Speyeria cybele, Vanessa atalanta, Vanessa cardui (Rb, Re), Vanessa virginiensis fq; Lycaenidae: Everes comyntas, Lycaeides melissa samuelis (Sw); Papilionidae: Battus philenor, Papilio cresphontes, Papilio marcellus, Papilio polyxenes asterias; Pieridae: Colias philodice (Rb, FV), Eureme nicippe, Phoebis sennae, Pieris rapae (Rb, Lw), Pontia protodice

Skippers
Hesperiidae: Epargyreus clarus fq, Polites peckius, Polites themistocles, Thorybes pylades

Moths
Sphingidae: Hemaris diffinis

Beetles
Cantharidae: Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (Wms); Mordellidae: Mordella marginata (LY)
Insect activities:
cp = collects pollen
fq = frequent flower visitor (about 6 or more visits reported)
sn = sucks nectar

Scientific observers:
(Gr) = S. Graenicher
(Lw) = Alcinda C. Lewis
(Mc) = L.W. Macior
(Rb) = Charles Robertson
(Re) = Catherine Reed

Threats 9

Major Threats

There are no known major threats to this species.

Comments 10

Widely cultivated as a fodder crop; quite variable.

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) beautifulcataya, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/70668033@N00/3936455393
  2. (c) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Kleebluete.jpg/460px-Kleebluete.jpg
  3. (c) Arthur Chapman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4914742114_dee6e8de91.jpg
  4. Rob Hille, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Trifolium_pratense_0.5_R.jpg/460px-Trifolium_pratense_0.5_R.jpg
  5. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifolium_pratense
  6. (c) John Hilty, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/29447757
  7. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34763869
  8. (c) John Hilty, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/32898230
  9. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34763870
  10. (c) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/4970053

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(c) Discover Life and original sources, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)

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