Trifolium pratense
Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
The red clover (Trifolium pratense), also known as red clover, is a species in the subfamily of the Fabaceae ( Faboideae ) from the legume family ( Fabaceae or Leguminosae).
- 5.1 Veterinary Toxicological effects
- 5.2 Pharmacological effects
- 7.1 Literature
- 7.2 Notes and references
- 8.1 Overview of presentations
- 8.2 Agriculture
- 8.3 Pharmacology
- 8.4 Veterinary Toxicology
Description
Vegetative characteristics
The Red clover is a one-to two -year or overwintering green, perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height of 15 to 80 centimeters. The upright or ascending stem is hairy pressed up tight bald.
The alternate and spirally arranged, petiolate leaves are pinnate three parts, also called fingered. The petiole is 1.8 to 8.6 inches long. The both sides finely hairy leaves are at a length of 18 to 60 millimeters and a width of 8 to 35 millimeters ovate to elliptic oblong with rounded base and in the upper part; they have a lighter patch in the middle. The edge of the leaves is smooth. The ovate to lanceolate stipules are fused to the petiole, the free part is grannenartig, much shorter than the deformed lower part and bald or hairy.
Generative features
The flowering period extends from April / May to October. Are formed Vielblütige, spherical to ovoid eared inflorescences; they have a length of 1 to 2 cm and a diameter of 2 to 3 centimeters. The inflorescence is usually enveloped by the top stem leaves.
The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and fünfzählig double perianth. The five sepals are fused. The ten annoying calyx tube is only slightly hairy. The unequal calyx teeth are ciliate. One of the five red petals are fused. The crown is 10 to 18 millimeters long. The single carpel is upper constant.
The pulse is 1.5 to 4 millimeters long and up to 1 millimeter wide, and contains one or two seed.
Ecology
The Red clover is a Hemikryptophyt and a stem plant with vigorous rhizome and Zugwurzeln. He is a deep-rooting and rooted to 2 meters deep. Vegetative propagation is done by underground runners.
Even the cotyledons run day and night movements, by pooling at night. The pinnae of the leaves swaying in the dark in an approximately three-hour rhythm (autonomous turgor movement ).
Ecologically flowers are nectar- leading butterfly flowers with folding mechanism. They are usually pollinated by " langrüsselige " bumblebees and other Apidae; the nectar is at the bottom of a 9 to 10 mm long tube; the honey bee ( proboscis length of 6 to 6.5 mm) can only collect pollen; Bombus terrestris L. ( snout length 7-9 mm ) is penalized for nectar robbery by lateral intrusion; the gritting of the bumblebee in the corolla tube holes are used by honey bees. However, the pollination langrüssliger bumblebees is much higher and it comes in several countries led to a dramatic decline in these populations Hummel, so will reduce the average seed yield and is also subject to strong fluctuations. Spontaneous self-pollination does not lead to seed formation; bumblebees were introduced to New Zealand, so that the cultivated red clover reaches the seeds ripen; in North and South America, also non-native red clover is pollinated by birds ( in North America, for example, by Archilochus colubris ).
The tiny one to zweisamigen fruits jump on with a lid. The hairy calyx remains, and the ciliated sepals serve together with the dry corolla as a flight organ ( Schirmchenflieger and aviator wings ). These random dispersal by herbivores, ants spread and spread by earthworms ( a hitherto little-noticed type). Fruit ripening takes place from August to October. The hard-shelled seeds are at least 14 years ( under favorable conditions for more than 100 years) long viable.
Occurrence
You can find the red clover in rich meadows, in fields and open woods, even as a crop it is grown. He prefers fresh, nutrient-rich, deep sound and clay soils and lime-and sulfate -loving. The red clover thrives on the colline to alpine altitude level, in the Central Alps, he rises to altitudes of 2,600 meters ( there own sub-species ).
After Ellenberg he is a Klassencharakterart the grassland societies ( Molinio - Arrhenatheretea ).
System
The first publication of Trifolium pratense was made in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum. It is the Lectotypusart the genus Trifolium. A synonym Trifolium pratense L. Trifolium pratense var sativum is of Schreb Trifolium pratense .. belongs to the subsection of the section Trifolium Trifolium in the genus Trifolium.
When red clover (Trifolium pratense), there are three subspecies in Central Europe:
- Coastal red clover (Trifolium pratense subsp. Maritimum ( Zabel ) Rothm. )
- Alpine Meadows Clover (Trifolium pratense subsp. Nivale ( Koch) Arcang. )
- Common red clover (Trifolium pratense L. subsp. Pratense)
Ingredients
Especially red clover contains thiocyanate, cyanogenic glycosides, phytoestrogens (isoflavones, also present in silage fodder ) and possibly nitrates. The protein content is high; also protease inhibitors are included.
Veterinary Toxicological effects
All green parts of plants can be toxic depending on the season and the weather by changing the secondary metabolism and function of amount of feed fed; but this is rarely the case. Basically clover species are good forage plants.
The toxic effect is based on the following mechanisms:
- Soluble proteins are believed to be responsible for frothy fermentation in the rumen;
- The released from the cyanogenic glycosides cyanide inhibits cytochrome oxidase, blocking the respiratory chain in the mitochondria ( by lack of oxygen in tissues, convulsions);
- By phytoestrogens can cause fertility problems and miscarriages;
- Nitrate is converted to nitrite, this oxidized hemoglobin to methemoglobin, which decreases the oxygen content in the blood;
- Photosensibilierung by the dye thiocyanate ( Trifoliose, clover disease).
Pharmacological effects
Due to the content of isoflavones (especially pratensein, formononetin, biochanin A) to ( pratensis flos trifolii ) reduce menopause symptoms in women preparations from the flowers of the meadow clover. The substances bind to estrogen receptors and estrogen-like effects can develop, which is why they are called phytoestrogens as well. There is a number of preparations (food supplements ) are offered on the market, an activity is almost completely derived from epidemiological findings and is not sufficiently proven by studies.
Use
The Red clover is a protein-rich forage crop and is grown in Germany since the 11th century, clover crops were widespread but not until after 1750; through the symbiosis with nitrogen - fixing bacteria, it is very well suited as a soil conditioner and as a preceding crop for other crops; for beekeeping varieties were bred with shorter corolla tube.