Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Trifolium medium

Family

Fabaceae

Flowering season

June to September

English distribution

It is found throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Zigzag Clover

Habitat

It grows in grassland, hedgerows, the edge of woods andon

rocky ground, railway banks and quarries.

Description

Zigzag Clover is a native, rhizomatous, nitrogen-fixing,

perennial herb, growing up to 50cm.

The flowerheads are on the end of long stalks up to

10cm.

There are leaflets just below the flowerheads.

Flowerheads are up to 3cm and are spreading,

slightly-flattened globes. 

Individual flowers are up to 15mm, reddish-purple

with the corolla longer than the calyx.

Leaflets are narrow ovals up to 4 cm long and quite hairy.

They are usually unmarked but sometimes have a pale

splodge.

Stipules are green and white, terminating in a green

triangular point.

The stems are bendy and in a slight zigzag.