Four-leaf clover: Difference between revisions
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It has been estimated that there are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every four-leaf clover<ref>[[David Bradley (UK journalist)|Bradley, David]]. ''[http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/five-leaf-clovers.html Five-leaf Clovers]''. ScienceBase.com. 31 October 2008.</ref>, however this probability has not deterred collectors who have reached records as high as 160,000 four-leaf clovers.<ref>Levitt, Steven D. ''[http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/160000-four-leaf-clovers/ 160,000 Four-Leaf Clovers?]'' [[New York Times]]. 25 May 2008.</ref> It is debated whether the fourth leaflet is caused genetically or environmentally. Its relative rarity suggests a possible [[recessive gene]] appearing at a low frequency. Alternatively, four-leaf clovers could be caused by [[somatic mutation]] or a developmental error of environmental causes. They could also be caused by the interaction of several genes that happen to segregate in the individual plant. It is possible all four explanations could apply to individual cases. |
It has been estimated that there are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every four-leaf clover<ref>[[David Bradley (UK journalist)|Bradley, David]]. ''[http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/five-leaf-clovers.html Five-leaf Clovers]''. ScienceBase.com. 31 October 2008.</ref>, however this probability has not deterred collectors who have reached records as high as 160,000 four-leaf clovers.<ref>Levitt, Steven D. ''[http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/160000-four-leaf-clovers/ 160,000 Four-Leaf Clovers?]'' [[New York Times]]. 25 May 2008.</ref> It is debated whether the fourth leaflet is caused genetically or environmentally. Its relative rarity suggests a possible [[recessive gene]] appearing at a low frequency. Alternatively, four-leaf clovers could be caused by [[somatic mutation]] or a developmental error of environmental causes. They could also be caused by the interaction of several genes that happen to segregate in the individual plant. It is possible all four explanations could apply to individual cases. |
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Certain companies produce four-leaf clovers using different means. [[Richard Mabey]] alleges, in ''Flora Britannica'', that there are farms in the US which specialize in four-leaf clovers, producing as many as 10,000 a day (to be sealed in plastic as "lucky charms") by feeding a secret, [[Genetic engineering|genetically-engineered]] ingredient to the plants to encourage the aberration (there are, however, widely-available [[cultivar]]s that regularly produce leaves with multiple leaflets – see below) . |
Certain companies produce four-leaf clovers using different means. [[Richard Mabey]] alleges, in ''Flora Britannica'', that there are farms in the US which specialize in four-leaf clovers, producing as many as 10,000 a day (to be sealed in plastic as "lucky charms") by feeding a secret, [[Genetic engineering|genetically-engineered]] ingredient to the plants to encourage the aberration (there are, however, widely-available [[cultivar]]s that regularly produce leaves with multiple leaflets – see below) . Maybe also states that children learn that a five-leaved clover is even luckier than a four-leaved one.<ref>Mabey, Richard, ''[[Flora Britannica]]'', p225 (citing Edward and Helene Wenis of Leonia, New Jersey, USA, writing in ''[[Botanical Society of the British Isles|BSBI]] News'', 56, 1990)</ref> Five-leaf clovers are less commonly found naturally than four-leaf clovers;<ref>Hershey, David R. ''[http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-03/953257839.Bt.r.html Re: how common is a five leaf clover?]''. MadSci.org. 16 March 2000.</ref><ref>''[http://www.fourleafclover.com/5fact.html Facts About Five-leaf Clovers]''. FourLeafClover.com. Retrieved 7 December 2008.</ref> however, they, too, have been successfully cultivated.<ref>''[http://www.register-news.com/local/local_story_288095608.html Five-leaf clover]''. [[Mt. Vernon Register-News]]. 14 October 2008.</ref> |
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[[Image:4leaf.jpg|400px|thumb|a [[developmental abnormality|developmentally abnormal]] or 4-leaf [[mutation]] of ''T. repens'' (left); a [[Biological type|typical]] ''M. Quadrifolia'' (centre); and a [[Biological type|typical]] ''O. Dippei'' (right)]] |
[[Image:4leaf.jpg|400px|thumb|a [[developmental abnormality|developmentally abnormal]] or 4-leaf [[mutation]] of ''T. repens'' (left); a [[Biological type|typical]] ''M. Quadrifolia'' (centre); and a [[Biological type|typical]] ''O. Dippei'' (right)]] |
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Revision as of 23:05, 17 March 2009
For information on the song, go to Four Leaf Clover (song)
The four-leaf clover is an uncommon variation of the common, three-leaved, clover. According to tradition, such leaves bring good luck to their finders, especially if found accidentally.[1] According to legend, each leaflet represents something: the first is for hope, the second is for faith, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck. Another Irish legend tells that the three leaf clover, or "Shamrock", was what Saint Patrick used to represent the Holy Trinity. The name "four-leaf clover" is a misnomer: the clover leaf actually consists of three leaflets. Clovers can have more than four leaflets: the most ever recorded is twenty-one,[2] a record set in June 2008 by the same man who held the prior record and the current Guinness World Record of eighteen.[3] Unofficial claims of discovery have ranged as high as twenty-seven.[2]
It has been estimated that there are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every four-leaf clover[4], however this probability has not deterred collectors who have reached records as high as 160,000 four-leaf clovers.[5] It is debated whether the fourth leaflet is caused genetically or environmentally. Its relative rarity suggests a possible recessive gene appearing at a low frequency. Alternatively, four-leaf clovers could be caused by somatic mutation or a developmental error of environmental causes. They could also be caused by the interaction of several genes that happen to segregate in the individual plant. It is possible all four explanations could apply to individual cases.
Certain companies produce four-leaf clovers using different means. Richard Mabey alleges, in Flora Britannica, that there are farms in the US which specialize in four-leaf clovers, producing as many as 10,000 a day (to be sealed in plastic as "lucky charms") by feeding a secret, genetically-engineered ingredient to the plants to encourage the aberration (there are, however, widely-available cultivars that regularly produce leaves with multiple leaflets – see below) . Maybe also states that children learn that a five-leaved clover is even luckier than a four-leaved one.[6] Five-leaf clovers are less commonly found naturally than four-leaf clovers;[7][8] however, they, too, have been successfully cultivated.[9]
Other plants may be mistaken for, or misleadingly sold as, "four-leaf clovers"; for example, Oxalis tetraphylla is a species of wood sorrel with leaves resembling a four-leaf clover.[10][11] Other species that have been sold as "four-leaf clovers" include Marsilea quadrifolia and Oxalis deppei.[12][13]
Multi leaved cultivars
There are some cultivars of white clover (Trifolium repens) which regularly produce more than three leaflets, including purple-leaved T. repens 'Purpurascens Quadrifolium' and green-leaved T. repens 'Quadrifolium'.[14] Trifolium repens 'Good Luck' is a cultivar which has three, four, or five dark-centred leaflets per leaf. (photo)
See also
- 4-H emblem
- The Co-operative brand, The Co-operative's former logo, introduced in 1968 and refreshed in 1993
- Rabbit's foot
- Horseshoe
- Cloverleaf interchange
- Shamrock
- Quatrefoil, a four-lobed structure
- Cloverleaf or Quadrifoglio badges denote variants of Alfa Romeo cars where the name denotes the high-end of the range in comfort and engine size, but previously denoted Alfa Romeo racing cars in the pre-Second-World-War era
- The four leaf clover also features on the badge of Celtic F.C.
- The political Centre Parties of Estonia, Finland, Norway and Sweden all use a four-leaf clover as their logo
- I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover
External links
References
- ^ Mabey, Richard, Flora Britannica, Sinclair-Stevenson, London, 1996, p225. ISBN 1-85619-377-2
- ^ a b 21-leaf Clover Sets Record. Neatorama. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ Clover - Most Leaves. Guinness World Record. Retrieved 7 December 2008. - (illustrating a stem with eighteen leaflets discovered in Hanamaki City, Japan, in May 2002)
- ^ Bradley, David. Five-leaf Clovers. ScienceBase.com. 31 October 2008.
- ^ Levitt, Steven D. 160,000 Four-Leaf Clovers? New York Times. 25 May 2008.
- ^ Mabey, Richard, Flora Britannica, p225 (citing Edward and Helene Wenis of Leonia, New Jersey, USA, writing in BSBI News, 56, 1990)
- ^ Hershey, David R. Re: how common is a five leaf clover?. MadSci.org. 16 March 2000.
- ^ Facts About Five-leaf Clovers. FourLeafClover.com. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ Five-leaf clover. Mt. Vernon Register-News. 14 October 2008.
- ^ The Four Leaf Clover Kit (Mega Mini Kits) (Paperback). Amazon review. 12 September 2006.
- ^ Good Luck Plant Kit. FourLeafClover.com. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ All About Shamrocks Four-Leaf Clovers. LollySmith.com. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ Keenan, Susan M. The Four Leaf Clover. HotFact.com. 11 March 2008.
- ^ Lord, Tony (ed), RHS Plant Finder 2006–2007, (20th edition), Dorling Kindersley, London, 2006, p743. ISBN 1-4053-1455-9