Trifolium fragiferum from Kashmir

[Gurcharan Singh]

Trifolium fragiferum L., Sp. pl. 2:772. 1753

syn: Amoria fragifera (L.) Roskov

Common name: Strawberry clover

Perennial creeping herb with white or pink flowers, can be easily confused (especially one with white flowers) with T. repens, but quite distinct in fruit as the fruiting heads in T. repens shrivel on drying, whereas in T. fragiferum the head gets swollen due to enclaged calyces and appears like a strawberry head, hence the name.

Perennial, stems creeping often rooting at nodes; leaves trifoliate, leaflets 5-30 mm long, ovate, elliptical to obcordate; stipules lanceolate, membranous;  Inflorescence a compact head, 10-14 mm broad, hemispherical in flower, globose, ellipsoid, with an involucre, peduncle up to 20 cm, exceeding the leaf; bract 3-4 mm; calyx inflated in fruit, pubescent; corolla white to pinkish; fruit included in calyx, 1-2-seeded. 

Photographed in Iqbal Garden, Hazuribagh in Srinagar, Kashmir

--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/