''Trifolium gracilentum'' is a species of

clover Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (from Latin ''tres'' 'three' + ''folium'' 'leaf'), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume or pea family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus ...

known by the common names pinpoint clover and slender clover. It is native to western North America including the west coast of the United States and northwestern Mexico, where it grows in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. It is an annual herb growing prostrate to erect in form with mostly hairless or slightly hairy herbage. The leaves are made up of lance-shaped to oval leaflets. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are forme ...

is an

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

of flowers that spread out or flex downward. The flowers have pink or purple corollas less than a centimeter long. One variety of this species, var. ''palmeri'', is a rare plant limited to the

Channel Islands of California The Channel Islands () are an eight-island archipelago located within the Southern California Bight in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. The four Northern Channel Islands are part of the Transverse Ranges geologic province, ...

; it is sometimes treated as a species in its own right, ''Trifolium palmeri''.California Native Plant Society Rare Plant Profile

Subspecies

''Trifolium gracilentum'' used to be classified with two varieties: *''Trifolium gracilentum'' var. ''gracilentum'' *''Trifolium gracilentum'' var. ''palmeri''

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Trifolium gracilentum'' (Graceful clover, Pin point clover, Pinpoint clover)Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Trifolium gracilentum''UC CalPhotos gallery: ''Trifolium gracilentum''
gracilentum Flora of California Flora of Baja California Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of the Channel Islands of California Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges Natural history of the San Francisco Bay Area Natural history of the Transverse Ranges Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Trifolieae-stub