zigzag clover

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• zigzag clover
• Trifolium alpestre
• owl-head clover
• purple-globe clover
• mammoth clover
• zigzag clover

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Trifolium medium var. flexuosum
• Trifolium medium var. microphyllum
• Trifolium flexicaule
• Trifolium flexuosum
• Lagopus flexuosus
• Trifolium medium var. subpilosum
• Trifolium medium var. angustifolium
• Trifolium medium subsp. eriocalycinum
• Trifolium medium subsp. flexuosum
• Trifolium medium var. majus
• Trifolium medium subsp. skorpilii
• Trifolium subexpansum
• Trifolium medium var. brachycalycinum
• Trifolium haynaldianum
• Trifolium haynaldii
• Trifolium medium subsp. pedunculosum
• Trifolium medium var. angustius
• Trifolium aucheri
• Trifolium medium var. strictum
• Trigonella micrantha
• Trifolium medium var. angustium
• Trifolium medium var. eriocalycinum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae and the genus Trifolium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Trifolium medium, exhibits a specific distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. Its presence is well-documented throughout the coastal and inland areas of Denmark. The species can also be found growing within the natural landscapes of Finland. Moving westward, it is widely distributed across the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, its geographical range extends further north to include the rugged terrains of Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Trifolium medium is characterized by its presence in diverse landscapes, including forests, forest edges, hills, meadows, shrubberies, and steppes, ranging from dry environments to mountain and plain regions. This species thrives in lowland habitats and is specifically found within a defined elevational range, spanning from a minimum of 1450 m AMSL to a maximum of 1600 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1450 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, forest edges, hills, meadows: dry, mountains, plains, shrubberies, steppe

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Trifolium medium is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. It adopts a hemicryptophyte life form, meaning its perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, which helps it survive varying environmental conditions. Additionally, the plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage as part of its seasonal physiological cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Trifolium medium is characterized by its growth as a non-woody herb and a forb, exhibiting a self-supporting structure without the need for climbing or liana-like tendencies. As a terrestrial plant, it functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic behavior. The plant's stature is relatively low, with height measurements varying across its development; it typically reaches a minimum height of 0.15 to 0.2 meters, with a maximum height of 0.5 meters, resulting in an average plant height ranging between 0.225 and 0.4 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.225 m

Plant height mean:

0.4 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Trifolium medium is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. As a non-carnivorous species, it relies on standard nutrient uptake through its root system, supplemented by its ability to function as a nitrogen fixer, which allows it to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms. The morphological physiological traits include varying leaf dimensions, with a recorded maximum leaf length of 10 cm and mean leaf sizes ranging between 7.05875 cm² and 14.37 cm². Furthermore, the plant exhibits significant variation in its Specific Leaf Area (SLA), with mean values documented at both 113.2 cm²/g and 206.1 cm²/g, reflecting differences in leaf thickness and resource allocation strategies.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf size mean:

7.05875 cm²

Leaf size mean:

14.37 cm²

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

113.2 cm²/g

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

206.1 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Trifolium medium is characterized by a biotic pollination strategy that relies on insects, specifically bees, to facilitate fertilization. The plant exhibits no self-fertilization and lacks asexual reproduction, meaning it depends entirely on cross-pollination for its reproductive cycle. The flowering period typically begins in June and concludes in August. Following successful pollination, the plant develops dry, dehiscence-type fruits categorized as capsules, which have an average length of 0.2 cm. The seeds produced are relatively small and uniform, with a consistent seed volume of 1.1 mm³ and a seed width of 2 mm. The seed mass is quite minute, ranging from a minimum of approximately 0.00125 g to a maximum of 0.00234 g, with a mean mass recorded around 0.001945 g to 0.001955 g. Once the fruit matures, the seeds are dispersed via an anemochorous syndrome, utilizing wind as the primary mechanism for movement.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length mean:

0.2 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.00125 g

Seed mass max:

0.00234 g

Seed mass mean:

0.001955 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0019450625 g

Seed mass min:

0.001275 g

Seed volume max:

1.1 mm³

Seed width mean:

2 mm

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Trifolium medium has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ononin, COUMESTROL, Isoflavone, Isoflavones, Sissotrin.

Ononin

1. Journal of AOAC International
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

COUMESTROL

1. Journal of food science and technology

Isoflavone

1. Journal of food science and technology

Isoflavones

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Sissotrin

1. Journal of AOAC International

biochanin A

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

formononetin

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Trifolium medium has 4 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Chemopreventive, Cytostatic, Phytoestrogenic.

Antioxidant

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemopreventive

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Cytostatic

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Phytoestrogenic

1. Journal of AOAC International

Conditions

Trifolium medium has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include breast cancer.

Breast cancer

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)