Trifolium monanthum subsp. tenerum

Delicate carpet clover, Delicate Carpet Clover

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Delicate carpet clover is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in pine forests, wet meadows, and moist rocky slopes at elevations of 1,600 to 3,300 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces small white flowers in compact clusters of 1 to 7 blooms with peduncles that curve sharply at the tip. Growing with densely hairy stems emerging from a central crown, it reaches moderate height with a thickened taproot and no spreading rhizomes. Its leaves feature distinctive trifoliate structure with leaflets two to five times longer than wide, each leaflet ending in a sharp acute or acuminate point. The plant's delicate, hairy texture and precise leaf structure make it a subtle but charming addition to high-elevation mountain habitats.

Habitat: Pine forest, wet meadows, moist rocky slopes

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: 1600-3300 m

Bioregions: SNH.

California counties: Inyo, Fresno, Tulare, Mono, Tuolumne, Riverside, Placer

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