Some extracts from Wikipedia link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_clover
*White Clover* (*Trifolium repens*) is a species<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species>of clover <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clover> native to Europe<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe>, North Africa <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa>, and West Asia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia>. It has been widely introduced elsewhere in the world as a pasture<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasture>crop, and is also common in many grassy areas in North America <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America>. It is a herbaceous <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbaceous> perennial plant<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perennial_plant>. It is low growing, with heads of whitish flowers, often with a tinge of pink or cream. The heads are generally 1.5-2 cm wide, and are at the end of 7 cm peduncles <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peduncles> or flower stalks [1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_clover#cite_note-wotn-0>. The leaves are trifoliolate, smooth, elliptic to egg-shaped and long-petioled. The stems function as stolons<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolon>, so white clover often forms mats with the stems creeping as much as 18 cm a year, and rooting at the nodes [1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_clover#cite_note-wotn-0> . White clover grows in turfgrass, crops, and landscapes.[1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_clover#cite_note-wotn-0>It is also found in a limited range of different field type environments. White clover can tolerate close mowing, and can grow on many different types and pHs <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH> of soil, but prefers clay<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay> .[1] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_clover#cite_note-wotn-0> It is considered to be a beneficial component of natural or organic lawn care due to its ability to fix nitrogen<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_fixation>and out compete lawn weeds. Natural nitrogen fixing reduces leaching from the soil and can reduce the incidence of some lawn diseases that are enhanced by the availability of synthetic fertilizer. [2]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_clover#cite_note-Tukey-1> Besides making an excellent forage crop for livestock, clovers are a valuable survival food: they are high in protein, widespread, and abundant. They are not easy to digest raw, but this can be easily fixed by boiling for 5-10 minutes [3] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_clover#cite_note-ewp-2>. Dried flowerheads and seedpods can also be ground up into a nutritious flour and mixed with other foods, or can be steeped in hot water for a healthy, tasty tea-like infusion. Before the introduction of broad-leaf herbicides, white clover was more often added to lawn <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn> seed mixes than it is today, as it is able to grow and provide green cover in poorer soils where turfgrasses do not perform well. Many people consider clover a weed<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weed>when growing in lawns, in part because the flowers are attractive to bees <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee> and thus create a danger for people with bare feet. On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 10:13 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Clover or alfa alfa is a widely cultivated fodder in the European > countries. It grows wild in temperate Himalayas also > > On Oct 24, 9:18 pm, Debasish Joardar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi, > > > > Location : Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. > > > > Date : 06/10/2008 > > > > It is Trifolium repens L. > > > > Family : Fabaceae ( Pea family) > > > > Common Name : White Clover; Dutch Clover. > > > > Also saw it in Singalila forest, West Bengal in April-2006. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Debasish Joardar. > > > > > > Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go tohttp:// > messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ > > > > TRIFOLIUM REPENS-1.jpg > > 163KViewDownload > > > > TRIFOLIUM REPENS-2.jpg > > 217KViewDownload > > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg "We often ignore the beauty around us" Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
