''Trifolium alpinum'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name alpine clover. It is native to the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

.Site specific grasses and herbs: ''Trifolium alpinum''.
FAO. This plant is a perennial herb with a large

taproot A taproot is a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally. Typically a taproot is somewhat straight and very thick, is tapering in shape, and grows directly downward. In some plants, such as the carrot, the taproo ...

which can be 1 metre long and 1 centimetre wide. The short stems bear ternate leaves divided into three leaflets each up to 5 cm long. The fragrant flowers are pink to light red, tinged with purple. This plant grows at elevations between 1700 and 2500 m, sometimes up to 2800 m,Codignola, A., et al. (1985)
Preliminary studies on the photosynthetic structures of ''Trifolium alpinum'' L. as related to productivity.
''Ann Bot'' 55(4) 509-23. in

subalpine Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

and

alpine climate Alpine climate is the typical weather (climate) for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate. Definition There are multiple definitions of ...

s. It commonly grows on acidic soils. In alpine regions this plant provides an important forage for livestock.Lauga, B., et al. (2009)
Two lineages of ''Trifolium alpinum'' (Fabaceae) in the Pyrenees: evidence from random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers.
''Acta Botanica Gallica'' 156(3) 317-30. It is also good for stabilizing sites of

erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...

at high elevations.Peratoner, G., et al. (2007)
Growth of ''Trifolium alpinum'': Effects of soil properties, symbionts and pathogens.
''Ecological Engineering'' 30(4) 349–355.

References

alpinum Flora of the Pyrenees Flora of the Alps Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Trifolieae-stub