Trifolium saxatile

An endemic species of the Alps, it is characterised by a fragmented range, comprising rare and sparse populations in Italy, France, Switzerland and Austria. As its specific name suggests (saxatile, from saxum, meaning ‘rock’ or ‘stone’), it is a plant found mainly on rocky terrain – cliffs, scree and riverbeds – at altitudes ranging from 1,200 to 3,200 metres. In Italy, it is listed on the National Red List and is therefore under strict protection. Harvesting it constitutes a criminal offence.

Trifolium saxatile is a rare and inconspicuous plant; it is, therefore, difficult to spot. Small in size, it has a greyish colour due to the presence of dense hairs covering the entire plant. With a creeping habit, it has white-pink flowers clustered in flower heads.

It is a species typical of habitats with low plant competition – that is, with sparse vegetation cover – often maintained by frequent disturbances (landslides, rockfalls, floods). Unlike most alpine species, which are perennials, T. saxatile is an annual or biennial. These characteristics make its presence all the more fleeting.

Given the plant’s distinctive biology, its patchy distribution and its rarity, it has been listed by the European Commission in Annex 2 of Directive 92/43/EEC ‘Habitats’, the EU’s cornerstone for the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems.