Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii
Photo: parent species Trifolium longipes · (c) paulexcoff, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by key features: rhizomatous habit, glabrous calyx, variable flower color.
Hansen's clover is a native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin in dry or boggy meadows, open slopes, woodland, and subalpine areas at elevations of 1,100 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white to purple flowers with delicate, spreading blossoms. Growing with rhizomatous roots and slender stems, it forms low-spreading clusters in alpine and mountain habitats. Its leaves are composed of small leaflets, typically 2.5 to 6 times longer than wide, with variability in leaf size across different regions. The flowers emerge with nearly glabrous calyxes and slender pedicels, creating subtle, elegant clusters across mountain meadows.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 56 sympatric species; key features: rhizomatous habit, glabrous calyx, variable flower color
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry or boggy meadows, open slopes, woodland, subalpine
Elevation: 1100-3000 m
California counties: Mono, Modoc, Madera, Humboldt, Alpine, Inyo, Lake, El Dorado, Amador, Sierra, Siskiyou, Lassen, Glenn, Butte, Nevada, Plumas, Tehama, Trinity, Mendocino, Placer, Del Norte, Shasta
Outside California: Oregon, Nevada
Bloom period
Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii blooms Jun-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Medicago: Trifolium flowers persist around fruits; Medicago flowers fall off leaving exposed coiled fruits.; vs Oxalis: Trifolium has pea-shaped flowers; wood-sorrels (Oxalis) have 5-petaled star-shaped flowers and heart-notched leaflets.; vs Melilotus: Trifolium flowers persist enclosing fruits; Melilotus flowers fall off leaving exposed ridged pods.; vs Castilleja: Trifolium has pea flowers and 3 toothed leaflets; paintbrush (Castilleja) has tubular flowers in colorful bracts.; vs Acmispon: Trifolium leaflets have toothed edges; Acmispon leaflets have smooth untoothed margins.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii native to California?
Yes. Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii bloom?
Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii grow?
Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii occurs in Mono, Modoc, Madera, Humboldt, Alpine, Inyo, Lake, El Dorado and other counties, at elevations of 1100-3000 m.
What plant family does Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii belong to?
Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii is in the Fabaceae family, genus Trifolium.
What habitat does Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii grow in?
Trifolium longipes subsp. hansenii grows in dry or boggy meadows, open slopes, woodland, subalpine.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.