Peas be careful where you step

Trifolium nanum, June 9, 2022

T. nanum mat, summit, 12,100’, June 11, 2022

Common & scientific name
Dwarf clover, Trifolium nanum

Family
Pea, Fabaceae

Location
Summit, 12,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

This exclusively alpine pea hugs the ground, coming in at just an inch or so high (“nanum” is Greek for “dwarf.”) It’s hard to miss, though, as it forms densely-packed mats of elegant pin-striped flowers ranging from whiteish-pink, to lavender, magenta, and purple.

T. nanum, Blue Lake area, 12,700’, June 17, 2022