Taxon: Trifolium pratense L.

Summary

Genus:

Trifolium

Subgenus:

Trifolium

Section:

Trifolium

Family:

Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)

Subfamily:

Faboideae

Tribe:

Trifolieae

Nomen number:

300623

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 2:768. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

03/23/2007 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

2473 (1365 active, 1133 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Trifolium pratense L. var. americanum Harz (0 active accession[s])
Trifolium pratense L. var. pratense (1 active accession[s])
Trifolium pratense L. var. sativum Schreb. (2 active accession[s])
Trifolium pratense L. var. villosum DC. (0 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Trifolium pratense L. var. perenne Buckman

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Converse, R. H., ed. 1987. Virus diseases of small fruits. USDA Agriculture Handbook 631 35.
Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous
Cronquist, A. et al. 1972-. Intermountain flora.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Demilly, D. et al. 2001. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 7 GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France.
Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
Ellison, N. W. et al. 2006. Molecular phylogenetics of the clover genus (Trifolium - Leguminosae). Molec. Phylogenet. Evol. 39:688-705.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
Gillett, J. M. & N. L. Taylor (M. Collins ed.). 2001. The world of clovers 326.
Graham, E. H. 1941. Legumes for erosion control and wildlife. USDA Misc. Publ. 412.
Greene, S. L. et al. 2004. Relating morphologic and RAPD marker variation to collection site environment in wild populations of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 51:643-653.
Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Huang, S. F. & T. C. Huang. 1987. Taxonomic treatment of the Papilionoideae (Leguminosae) of Taiwan. Taiwania 32:11-117.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
International Seed Testing Association. 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2.
Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa Note: poisonous
Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Kongkiatngam, P. et al. 1995. Genetic variation within and between two cultivars of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.): Comparisons of morphological, isozyme, and RAPD markers. Euphytica 84:237-246. Note: Netherlands journal of plant breeding
Leung, A. Y. & S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, ed. 2
Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
Mun-Chan, B. et al. 1986. A checklist of the Korean cultivated plants. Kulturpflanze 34:132.
Munro, D. B. Canadian poisonous plants information system (on-line resource).
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
Petrauskas, G. et al. 2023. Genetic differentiation of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) cultivaras and their wild relatives. Agriculture 13:1008. DOI: 10.3390/agriculture13051008.
Pignatti, S. 1982. Flora d'Italia.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Smythies, B. E. 1984-1986. Flora of Spain and the Balearic Islands: checklist of vascular plants. Englera 3:1-882.
Taylor, N. L. et al. 1963. Interspecific hybridization of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Crop Sci. (Madison) 3:549-552.
Taylor, N. L. 2008. A century of clover breeding developments in the United States. Crop Sci. (Madison) 48:1-13.
Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
Walker, E. 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands.
Watson, L. E. et al. 2000. Molecular phylogeny of Old World Trifolium (Fabaceae), based on plastid and nuclear markers. Pl. Syst. Evol. 224:153-171.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Zohary, M. & D. Heller. 1984. The genus Trifolium 357.
1998. Federal Seed Act and Regulations, Agricultural and Vegetable Kind Lists, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch.
2018. Mid-Atlantic invasive plant species (on-line resource)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Note: forage crop

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	Chilean clover	1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English	cowgrass clover	1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English	mammoth red clover	1	1998. Federal Seed Act and Regulations, Agricultural and Vegetable Kind Lists, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch.
English	medium red clover	1	1998. Federal Seed Act and Regulations, Agricultural and Vegetable Kind Lists, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch.
English	peavine clover	1	Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
English	purple clover	1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
English	red clover	1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
French	trèfle des prés	2	Demilly, D. et al. 2001. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 7 GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France.
French	trèfle rouge	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
French	trèfle violet	2	Demilly, D. et al. 2001. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 7 GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France.
German	Rotklee	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Italian	trifoglio pratense	2	International Seed Testing Association. 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2.
Italian	trifoglio violetta	2	International Seed Testing Association. 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2.
Japanese Rōmaji	aka-tsumekusa	2	Walker, E. 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands.
Japanese Rōmaji	murasaki-tsumekusa	2	Walker, E. 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands.
Portuguese	trevo-dos-prados	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese	trevo-violeta	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish	trébol común	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish	trébol rojo	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish	trébol violeta	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedish	rödklöver	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Transcribed Chinese	hong che zhou cao	2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Transcribed Korean	bulgeuntokkipul	2	Mun-Chan, B. et al. 1986. A checklist of the Korean cultivated plants. Kulturpflanze 34:132.
Transliterated Russian	klever krasnyj	2	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria		n.	Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Armenia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Azerbaijan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Georgia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia	Ciscaucasia		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kazakhstan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kyrgyzstan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Tajikistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Turkmenistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia	Eastern Siberia	s.	Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Western Siberia	Western Siberia		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Afghanistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Cyprus			Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iraq			Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Israel			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Jordan			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Lebanon			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey			Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India		n.w.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan		n.	Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Belarus			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Latvia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Lithuania			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Moldova			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Belgium			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Czechoslovakia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Netherlands			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Switzerland			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Denmark			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Finland			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Ireland			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Norway			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Sweden			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	United Kingdom			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Former Yugoslavia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		incl. Sardinia, Sicily	Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France		incl. Corsica	Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated					also cult.
4	Naturalized					widely natzd. in temperate regions

Native
Africa

NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria (n.), Morocco, Tunisia

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey
CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia], Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia
SIBERIA: Russian Federation-Western Siberia [Western Siberia], Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia [Eastern Siberia (s.)]
MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India (n.w.), Pakistan (n.)

Europe

NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden
MIDDLE EUROPE: Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland
EASTERN EUROPE: Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized (widely natzd. in temperate regions)

Reference(s)

Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Animal food	fodder	Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
Animal food	forage	Kouamé C. N. et al. 1997. Response to root-knot nematodes of a germplasm collection of red clover and related species. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 44:439-445.
Bee plants	honey production	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Bee plants	honey production	Petrauskas, G. et al. 2023. Genetic differentiation of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) cultivaras and their wild relatives. Agriculture 13:1008. DOI: 10.3390/agriculture13051008.
Environmental	soil improver	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Food additives	flavoring	Leung, A. Y. & S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, ed. 2
Harmful organism host	crop diseases	Converse, R. H., ed. 1987. Virus diseases of small fruits. USDA Agriculture Handbook 631 35.
Harmful organism host	crop pests	Converse, R. H., ed. 1987. Virus diseases of small fruits. USDA Agriculture Handbook 631 35.
Medicines	folklore	Leung, A. Y. & S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, ed. 2
Medicines	folklore	Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicines	folklore	McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=300623. Accessed 12 May 2026.