Quiver Trees, Phantom Orchids and Rock Splitters by Vernon Trail Jesse;

Author:Vernon Trail, Jesse;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: NAT026000; NAT027000; NAT034000
Publisher: ECW Press
Published: 2015-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

POTENTILLA VILLOSA, HAIRY CINQUEFOIL | JIM RILEY

We now fly over to some coastal bluffs in Ireland to observe an exceptionally interesting annual, the burrowing clover, Trifolium subterranean. This delightful prostrate to creeping plant has shamrock or three-lobed cloverleaves. Both the leaves and stems are covered in silvery white hairs, while the flowers are pure white to creamy pink–tinged, pea-like and in clusters of two or three florets. Though the burrowing clover has a taproot, it has another effective way to anchor itself to the sandy or gravelly soil in which it usually grows. The flowering stems bend over until the flowers form a sharp kink with the stem, while still facing upward. When the flowers wither, scale-like bracts develop and grow downward and outward into the soil like the flukes of an anchor. This effectively holds the plant to the ground and also pulls the developing fruit into the soil in the process. As a result, the plant sows its own seeds. So, as you can see, the plant’s common name and specific name are apt.

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