Field Clover

Field Clover

Trifolium campestre

There are a lot of clover species and they're hard to identify to the species, kind of like gulls and sparrows. To some people, the challenge makes them interesting, but I just find it frustrating. I'm not sure that the people that write the books all have it straight, because there are oftentimes discrepancies.

Anyhooo ... all whining aside, here's what I know. There are three species of Trifolium that look quite similar - the Hop Clovers.  Add to that Medicago lupulina - Black Medick. Medicago lupulina is best identified by it's seed head which looks quite different than the Trifoliums, but otherwise the plant is similar.

This plant has more flowers in it's flowerhead than Trifolium dubium. The terminal leaflet of it's compound leaf has a stalk, whereas Trifolium aureum does not.

That's all there is to it, as long as you find typical plants that follow those rules.



Note the stalk on the center leaflet

One plant separated from the bunch

A bunch of plants. This is how they usually grow.