File:Trifolium resupinatum flowerhead Tocal legume trial 2.jpg

English: Introduced cool-season annual hairless herbaceous C3 legume 20-60 cm tall. Stems are erect, thick and hollow when elongated (variety majus) or more prostrate, thinner and solid (variety resupinatum). Leaves have 3 ovate leaflets, each strongly veined, toothed and on stalks of equal length. Flowerheads extend beyond surrounding leaves and are ball-shaped clusters of many white, pink or violet pea-like flowers; maturing into white woolly fruit. Flowers in spring and early summer. A native of Europe, the Mediterranean and SW Asia, majus is sown as an annual fodder and resupinatum is used more for grazing. Best suited to clay soils with pHCa 5-8 and requires a medium-high winter rainfall or irrigation. Provides both a high potential nitrogen input into soils and high-quality cool-season feed. Has excellent waterlogging tolerance and moderate salinity tolerance. Causes bloat in cattle; sow with oats or ryegrass to reduce risk. Sometimes causes photosensitisation. Majus is soft seeded so requires annual sowing; resupinatum is harder seeded so is more self-regenerating. Can produce high forage yields with good regrowth potential after cutting/grazing, but needs irrigation or good spring rains to maximise late spring growth. Make into hay or silage in spring; up to 2 cuts are possible.