Abstract: As clonally growing in heterogeneous environments, a single genet may place its ramets in different microhabitats. In this process, mortality (risk) of the genet is spreaded. Risk-spreading makes a great contribution to maintenance of or even increase in genet fitness. Therefore, clonal growth was considered having adaptive value, particularly in fine-scale heterogeneity of environment. Responses of a pseudoannual clonal herb, Trientalis europaea, to a nutrient gradient provides an example of genet riskspreading. Meanwhile, a hypothesis on the relationship between the maintenance of ramet-between connection and the enviromental heterogeneity is proposed.