Ivesia aperta var. canina
Dog valley ivesia, Dog Valley Ivesia
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Ivesia aperta var. canina (Dog valley ivesia) is a native California herb in the Rosaceae family, recognized by var. aperta by cluster size, petal size, and growth habit.
Dog valley ivesia is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Dog Valley, eastern Sierra County, in dry, rocky meadows on volcanic soils at elevations of 1,600 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to cream-colored flowers approximately 4 to 7 millimeters long with obovate petals. Growing with decumbent to ascending stems, it forms low-spreading clusters generally less than 10 flowers across. Its leaves are finely divided, creating delicate, feathery foliage that spreads close to the ground. The plant's compact growth and adaptation to rocky, high-elevation meadows make it a distinctive alpine perennial.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; distinguished from var. aperta by cluster size, petal size, and growth habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, rocky meadows, generally volcanic soils
Elevation: 1600-2000 m
California counties: Sierra, Nevada
Bloom period
Ivesia aperta var. canina blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
How to tell it apart
vs Achillea: Ivesia has rose-like flowers with separate petals; Achillea has composite flower heads with ray and disk flowers.; vs Potentilla: Ivesia has cylindrical bottlebrush leaves with 4-80 tiny leaflets per side; Potentilla has flat leaves with spread-out leaflets.; vs Horkelia: Ivesia has cylindrical leaves with overlapping leaflets; Horkelia has flat leaves with 2-15 distinct, separated leaflets.; vs Eremogone: Ivesia has compound bottlebrush leaves; Eremogone has simple, needle-like or thread-like leaves.; vs Cryptantha: Ivesia has rose-family flowers with separate petals; Cryptantha has fused tubular corollas typical of borages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ivesia aperta var. canina native to California?
Yes. Ivesia aperta var. canina is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ivesia aperta var. canina bloom?
Ivesia aperta var. canina blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Ivesia aperta var. canina grow?
Ivesia aperta var. canina occurs in Sierra, Nevada, at elevations of 1600-2000 m.
What plant family does Ivesia aperta var. canina belong to?
Ivesia aperta var. canina is in the Rosaceae family, genus Ivesia.
Is Ivesia aperta var. canina rare or endangered?
Ivesia aperta var. canina carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.