Ivesia gordonii
Alpine ivesia
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Ivesia gordonii (Alpine ivesia) is a native California subshrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by 5 stamens and yellow petals diagnostic.
Alpine ivesia is a California native perennial found in alpine and subalpine areas of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at high elevations above 2,000 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in compact clusters 10 to 30 millimeters wide. Growing in tight tufted clumps with green stems 5 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms a slightly branched caudex. Its complex leaves are typically 3 to 8 centimeters long, with 10 to 16 densely overlapping leaflets per side, each divided into 4 to 8 small oblanceolate to obovate lobes. The delicate yellow flowers, measuring 5 to 9 millimeters wide, are complemented by narrow petals that are slightly shorter than the sepals.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; 5 stamens and yellow petals diagnostic
Habitat and range
California counties: Alpine, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Placer, Mono, El Dorado, Modoc, Siskiyou, Amador, Tulare, Lake, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Trinity, Nevada, Colusa, Mendocino, Fresno
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 gordonii native to California?
Yes. Ivesia gordonii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Ivesia gordonii grow?
Ivesia gordonii occurs in Alpine, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Placer, Mono, El Dorado, Modoc, Siskiyou and other counties.
What plant family does Ivesia gordonii belong to?
Ivesia gordonii is in the Rosaceae family, genus Ivesia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.