Hosackia oblongifolia var. cuprea

Copper-flowered bird's-foot trefoil

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Copper-flowered bird's-foot trefoil is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada Foothills in Calaveras County, southern Sierra Nevada in Tulare County, and Sierra Nevada East in meadows and open pine woodlands at elevations of 2,400 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces copper-colored flowers in small clusters approximately 8 to 9 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 15 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms compact clumps in alpine and subalpine environments. Its leaves are distinctive, composed of 3 to 7 smooth, glabrous leaflets arranged in a trefoil pattern. The compact growth and copper-toned flowers make this trefoil a subtle but charming alpine wildflower.

Habitat: Meadows, open pine woodland

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: 2400-2800 m

Bioregions: n SNF (Calaveras Co.), s SNH (Tulare Co.), SNE.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.