Two clovers that are uncommon in Marin
In Marin the genus Trifolium is well represented: we have many species of both native and non-native clovers. Taxonomists continue to wrestle with the variability of the native clovers and the difficulty of erecting an accurate, phylogenetic classification.
The two taxa illustrated here are not on the State or Federal “rare lists,” but in Marin they are uncommon and found growing only in moist grassland at Pt. Reyes National Seashore. The Jepson Manual (2nd ed., 2012) does not even list a Marin occurrence of either the perennial Hansen’s long-stemmed clover (T. longipes ssp. hansenii) or the annual Gray’s clover (T. grayi), which was T. barbigerum var. andrewsii in the Jepson Manual 1st ed., 1993.
Most years T. grayi can be found in the mowed verge of the access road to North Beach at the junction with Sir Francis Drake Blvd. (the road that leads to the lighthouse).
T. longipes grows on the Lunny “G“ Ranch, somewhat near the North District Operations Center.
Best not to go off trails without alerting the Seashore ranger staff (415.464.5100 x1).
 Trifolium longipes ssp. hansenii – (Hansen’s long-stemmed clover) |
 Trifolium grayi – (annual Gray’s clover) |
Photos by Vernon Smith. Cllick on the images to see larger versions.