Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis
Clubmoss ivesia
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis (Clubmoss ivesia) is a native California herb in the Rosaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Clubmoss ivesia is a California native perennial found in the central Sierra Nevada and White and Inyo Mountains in vernally moist, open, rocky areas at elevations of 3,000 to 4,115 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces pale yellow to white flowers approximately 3 to 5 millimeters long with widely obovate petals. Growing with low-spreading stems 5 to 15 centimeters tall, it forms compact mats in high-elevation rocky habitats. Its leaves are 3 to 8 centimeters long with small obovate lobes 1 to 3 millimeters wide, moderately to densely hairy with subtle bristle-tips. The delicate structure and high-altitude adaptation make this plant a distinctive component of alpine rocky environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Vernally moist, open, rocky areas
Elevation: 3000-4115 m
California counties: Mono, Tulare, Inyo
Bloom period
Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis blooms Jul-Aug.
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 lycopodioides var. scandularis native to California?
Yes. Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis bloom?
Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis grow?
Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis occurs in Mono, Tulare, Inyo, at elevations of 3000-4115 m.
What plant family does Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis belong to?
Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis is in the Rosaceae family, genus Ivesia.
What habitat does Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis grow in?
Ivesia lycopodioides var. scandularis grows in Vernally moist, open, rocky areas.
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.