Ivesia pygmaea
Dwarf ivesia
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ivesia pygmaea (Dwarf ivesia) is a native California herb in the Rosaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Dwarf ivesia is a California native perennial found in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains in rocky granitic places at elevations of 2,700 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces small yellow flowers in dense clusters 8 to 30 millimeters wide. Growing with matted, green stems 3 to 15 centimeters tall that are decumbent to erect, it forms a branched caudex. Its leaves have 10 to 15 leaflets on each side, with lobes 1 to 3 millimeters long and widely oblanceolate in shape. The plant produces pale, smooth fruits 1 to 1.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky (granitic) places
Elevation: 2700-4000 m
California counties: Tulare, Fresno, Inyo, Tuolumne
Bloom period
Ivesia pygmaea blooms Jul-Sep.
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 pygmaea native to California?
Yes. Ivesia pygmaea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ivesia pygmaea bloom?
Ivesia pygmaea blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Ivesia pygmaea grow?
Ivesia pygmaea occurs in Tulare, Fresno, Inyo, Tuolumne, at elevations of 2700-4000 m.
What plant family does Ivesia pygmaea belong to?
Ivesia pygmaea is in the Rosaceae family, genus Ivesia.
What habitat does Ivesia pygmaea grow in?
Ivesia pygmaea grows in Rocky (granitic) places.
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.