Experiments and observations on forms and strains oftrifolium repensL

Abstract

Attention is drawn to the fact that there is variation, both morphological and physiological, within the aggregate of plants known as “white clover.” After a detailed study of some of the characters of the plant, it has been determined which of these are constant and which are alterable by external conditions.The cyanogenetic behaviour has not been found correlated with any recognizable external feature of the plant, and has been found constant from year to year, and under different soil conditions. For this purpose, separate plants grown in pots and “clone” plants on various soils were used.As a result of the study of distribution of cyanogenetic and acyanogenetic forms of white clover, it has been found that “positive” or “negative” plants give rise, under “open” conditions of pollination, to offspring approximately 75 per cent, of which are possessed of like cyanogenetic character.