BEGINNER’S CORNER:Yellow-floweredefo tr ilsandmedicks
BEGINNER’S CORNER Yellow-flowered trefoils and medicks – a guide to our commoner native species JOHN NORTON
T
hese five yellow-flowered native legumes all resemble clovers in their trifoliate leaves and creeping habit. All usually grow as annuals, especially in short turf and disturbed habitats.
Although familiar to all botanists, they are a common source of confusion to beginners and even the more experienced. Here is a short guide to the main ID features and typical habitats. Photographs by the author.
Lesser Trefoil (Trifolium dubium). The commonest of the three trefoils and found throughout the whole of ai tirB an n delrI and.erwolF eads h arednuo r (glbo o se),ess l an ht 1 cmacrss, o a no gnol stal,k suu alabo htiw yl tu 15–2dini 0 duiv albrghi ely t flowol erw s(each3–4 g), nol m bubew t arepodev ylro elped o eads h ylno htiw afewfloerw s,ch ihw ak m eco ti fun sableeast L htiw Trefoeav L .li esareglabrsuo (haiess) lr aboev ay m ro av h e afewai h sr ardnuo eht ar m gisn der nu ro eat n Th.h eddl im eeaflet l doesav h ton eagreenat hto eht apex like Black Medick, but there may be a tiny bristle. Occurs in various types of neutral to mildly acidic short grassland, which can be dry, or winter-wet; and in disturbed habitats and sometimes urban environments.
Least Trefoil (Trifolium micranthum).Siar lim esser L ot Trefobu li as ht a ylno few(2–6)deeperely flowol erw s, ch ihw aredistct ni smyl alerl (1.5–3 g), nol m cl ni stu ered(nglto bo o se)eads. h seht am n eplmi es i aylurt dievitun m speciesch ihw ar r elgry swo erom an ht acoplu efo cenetmit es r al t av F .l sruo elw grl azedpofiel yn ds and dry acid grassland. Common in lowland areas but mainly a coastal plant in Scotland and Ireland.
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BSBI NEWS 149 | January 2022
