Ivesia kingii var. kingii
Alkali ivesia
(c) Stan Shebs, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Ivesia kingii var. kingii (Alkali ivesia) is a native California perennial in the Rosaceae family, recognized by large white flowers and habitat diagnostic.
Alkali ivesia is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in northern Southeastern Sierra Nevada in moist alkaline clay habitats at elevations of 1,200 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white flowers 8 to 12 millimeters wide in small, loose clusters with generally fewer than 5 flowers. Growing with decumbent to ascending stems 15 to 40 centimeters tall, it forms a rosetted plant with a generally simple caudex. Its compound leaves are 7 to 15 centimeters long, featuring 30 to 50 leaflets on each side with short, oblanceolate to obovate lobes 2 to 6 millimeters long. The fruits are smooth, light brown, and 2 to 2.5 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; large white flowers and habitat diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist alkaline clay
Elevation: 1200-2100 m
California counties: Inyo, Mono
Outside California: to Utah
Bloom period
Ivesia kingii var. kingii blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
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 kingii var. kingii native to California?
Yes. Ivesia kingii var. kingii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ivesia kingii var. kingii bloom?
Ivesia kingii var. kingii blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Ivesia kingii var. kingii grow?
Ivesia kingii var. kingii occurs in Inyo, Mono, at elevations of 1200-2100 m.
What plant family does Ivesia kingii var. kingii belong to?
Ivesia kingii var. kingii is in the Rosaceae family, genus Ivesia.
Is Ivesia kingii var. kingii rare or endangered?
Ivesia kingii var. kingii carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S2.
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 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.