Ivesia patellifera
Kingston mountains ivesia, Kingston Mountains Ivesia
(c) Tom Hilton, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tom Hilton · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Ivesia patellifera (Kingston mountains ivesia) is a native California herb in the Rosaceae family, recognized by yellow petals and lack of bractlets diagnostic.
Kingston mountains ivesia is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in the eastern desert mountains in the Kingston Range in granite crevices at elevations of 1,400 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces yellow flowers 7 to 10 millimeters wide with narrow-oblanceolate petals. Growing in green rosettes or hanging clumps with stems 10 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters in rocky terrain. Its leaves are generally 5 to 12 centimeters long with 2 to 3 leaflets on each side, each leaflet approximately 5 to 20 millimeters long and round with even teeth or shallow lobes. The fruit is small, pale, and slightly ridged, measuring 1.5 to 2 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; yellow petals and lack of bractlets diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Granite crevices
Elevation: 1400-2200 m
Bloom period
Ivesia patellifera blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.3
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 patellifera native to California?
Yes. Ivesia patellifera is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ivesia patellifera bloom?
Ivesia patellifera blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Ivesia patellifera belong to?
Ivesia patellifera is in the Rosaceae family, genus Ivesia.
Is Ivesia patellifera rare or endangered?
Ivesia patellifera carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S2.
What habitat does Ivesia patellifera grow in?
Ivesia patellifera grows in Granite crevices.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.