Four leaf clovers

[counterlady]

Hi
I have been in the attic today clearing out some stuff when I came across some old cook books that my mum used to use when I was growing up (sadly mum no longer with me).

To my surprise when fumbling through them I came across 3 pressed four leaf clovers. It brought back so many memories as a kid sitting in our field hunting them down. I remember our field had lots of them. Over the years whenever I see clover I always have a noisy to see if I can find a four leaf one but have never done so.

Its something I always wondered - why would our old field have so many in one space when you can hardly find any anywhere else!!!!

The clovers are now in a picture frame and look pretty impressive I might say

[Kleftiwallah]

There was a patch of clover at the end of our road on the estate and was renown for 4leafers, I must take a trip home (350 miles) and see if it is still there ! Cheers, Tony.

[Paul mabbott]

Some clovers propagate vegetatively - by spreading shoots rather than by seed; so if one plant is 4-leaved then there's a good chance that a wide patch or clump nearby will have four-leafletted forms.
I'd be interested to know what actually causes 4-leafedness. I once saw a field where most of the leaves were 4-sectionned - presumably they had been bred for a dominant gene. However, most examples are of just one or two four-segmented leaves on a single plant; doesn't seem likely to be related to Mendelian genetics?

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Some clovers propagate vegetatively - by spreading shoots rather than by seed; so if one plant is 4-leaved then there's a good chance that a wide patch or clump nearby will have four-leafletted forms.
I'd be interested to know what actually causes 4-leafedness. I once saw a field where most of the leaves were 4-sectionned - presumably they had been bred for a dominant gene. However, most examples are of just one or two four-segmented leaves on a single plant; doesn't seem likely to be related to Mendelian genetics?

Don't forget that with genetics, any physically expressed characteristic may be controlled by more than one gene, it can all get a bit messy.

I do remember that the house where my father was brought up had a 4 leafer on the front lawn and he revisited the house about 40 years after he left there. 4 leafer still there! I found one in an envelope in his wallet when he died, and I have laminated it into a credit card sized pocket. It now lives in my wallet.

[counterlady]

How wonderful that is you're dad going back and finding it still there I dont know whether the fact that I kept my horse in the field had anything to do with it but its an interesting subject. Agree why do they become 4 leaves!!!

[Dorts]

Clovers have been found with five, six, seven and on up to over two dozen leaves, though this is very rare.
It is generally thought to be caused by a gene, probably recessive (due to its general rarity), though the plants environment is also thought to play a part.
It can also be caused by mutation, (something going wrong during the plants development).
Clover is by no means the only plant to show this trait. I suppose one of the other notable plants found with extra leaves is Herb Paris, which will also have a corresponding number of extra reproductive parts.

Several species of Oxalis are often mistaken for Four-leaved Clover.
Dorts.

[Farplace]

We went to Blairgowrie, Perthshire when i was a kid. There was a field next to the caravan site, with some amazing clover - I found one with 21 leaves - most were 8-12 leaf clovers. I spent almost the entire week amongst the cows in this field, just picking clover and pressing them. Unfortunately, I havent got any of them now.... but I could probably take people to the exact spot, if it's not been built on.

[counterlady]

Originally Posted by Farplace

We went to Blairgowrie, Perthshire when i was a kid. There was a field next to the caravan site, with some amazing clover - I found one with 21 leaves - most were 8-12 leaf clovers. I spent almost the entire week amongst the cows in this field, just picking clover and pressing them. Unfortunately, I havent got any of them now.... but I could probably take people to the exact spot, if it's not been built on.

Is that really true 21 leaves omg that is amazing - how big were the leaves - its such a shame you did not save any

[Farplace]

Originally Posted by counterlady

Is that really true 21 leaves omg that is amazing - how big were the leaves - its such a shame you did not save any

The leaves were tiny, but perfect "clover-shaped" leaves. It was an amazing place. I didn't realise at the time, quite how special these clover plants were.

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by Dorts

Clovers have been found with five, six, seven and on up to over two dozen leaves, though this is very rare.

As a child (and teenager) I can distinctly remember finding several six and seven leafed clovers all on a bank of soil that was the spoil from the newly widened A2 motorway in Kent. The banks of earth were quickly colonised by clover and not only were there these disproportionate amount of multi-leaved clovers, the actual leaves were huge. I wonder now whether there were very high levels of nitrates or some other fertiliser that had produced these freak clovers.