TRIFOLIUM PRATENSE

RED CLOVER

Description:  Natural Order, Leguminosae. This is the common red clover of our meadows, with perennial and horizontal roots, and several leaf-stems in a cluster, with the head of flowers on a separate stalk from the root. Stems ascending, somewhat hairy; leaves three, obovate, often emarginate; stipules broad and bristle-pointed. Flowers numerous, sessile, red, in a large oval head; corolla with the lower petal longer than the others, closed, withering; stamens ten, nine united by their filaments.

Properties and Uses:  This herb is little used in medicine, yet its decoction is somewhat antispasmodic, and enjoys a good family reputation for hooping-cough. An extract, made by evaporating the decoction in the usual way, is a rather stimulating article; and is valuable as an application to indolent ulcers and cancers. In the latter malady, it enjoys an excellent reputation; and though not at all escharotic, is too sharp to be applied alone, and is best made into an ointment, or into a plaster with milder extracts, as mentioned at oxalis acetosella. It secures a good discharge, arouses a firm capillary circulation, and procures a granulating surface to indolent and phagedrenic sores. The profession should give this extract their consideration.