Two species of subterranean clover in Israel

Abstract

Cytological and morphological study of subterranean clovers in Israel has shown that the previously reported 2n = 12 Israeli "chromosomal race" or "cryptic species" is actually morphologically quite distinct from 2n = 16 Trifolium subterraneum L.

Both on morphological and genetical grounds the "Israeli race", with chromosome number 2n = 12, should be regarded as a distinct species. It is described in the present paper as a new species, Trifolium israeliticum.

The paper includes data on the distribution of the two subterranean clovers in Israel.