Strawberry Clover - introduced (*Trifolium fragiferum)

Family: Fabaceae (Pea family).

Native of Europe and Asia.

Occurrence: Scattered occurrence. Lawns, roadsides, nature strips and waste areas.

Identification:

• it is generally prostrate, with running stems
• the leaves are trifoliate, and the rather narrow leaflets are finely toothed
• the flowers are white to pink, and are clustered at the ends of the stalk in a globular or egg-shaped head
• the fruit are also clustered in a globular to egg-shaped head, and the individual fruits are bladder-like.

Strawberry Clover is a perennial pasture plant. It is now widespread throughout Victoria.

Photos 1: Stem of Strawberry Clover. It often roots at the leaf bases. Doveton St, Castlemaine.
2. Flowers. 3: Enlargement of photo 2. The head is made up of tiny pea flowers.
4: The fruits become bladder-like and woolly. Wheeler St, Castlemaine.