Ivesia campestris
Ivesia unguiculata
field ivesia, field mousetail, Kaweah ivesia
Yosemite ivesia, Yosemite mousetail
decumbent to ascending, 1–3.5 dm.
decumbent to ascending, 1–3.5 dm.
(3–)5–15(–18) cm; sheathing base glabrous or sparsely strigose abaxially;
stipules ± lanceolate, 2.5–5 mm;
petiole (0.3–)0.5–6(–8) cm, hairs sparse to abundant, appressed-ascending, 1–2 mm;
leaflets 15–20 per side, loosely overlapping, 2–10 mm, lobes 2–5, oblanceolate, hairs sparse to abundant, spreading to ascending, 1–2 mm.
(4–)7–15 cm; sheathing base ± glabrous abaxially;
stipules linear, 3–6 mm;
petiole (0.3–)0.5–4(–5) cm, hairs sparse to abundant, ascending to spreading, 1–2 mm;
leaflets 15–20(–25) per side, loosely overlapping, 3–6 mm, lobes 3–8, linear to oblanceolate, hairs sparse to abundant, spreading, 1–2 mm.
3–4.
3–6.
5–20(–40)-flowered, (1–)1.5–2.5(–4) cm diam., flowers arranged in 1–few ± tight glomerules of 10–15 flowers.
(15–)30–100(–200)-flowered, (1–)1.5–4(–8) cm diam., flowers mostly arranged in 1–several loose to tight glomerules of 5–10 flowers.
1–4 mm.
1–3 mm.
7–10 mm diam.;
epicalyx bractlets linear to oblong, 1–2(–2.5) mm;
hypanthium campanulate, 1–2 × 2.5–4 mm, ± 1/2 as deep as wide;
sepals green, 2–3(–3.5) mm, acute;
petals 4(–5), light yellow, oblanceolate to spatulate or narrowly obovate, 3–4 mm;
stamens 12–16 (4-merous flowers) or 16–20 (5-merous flowers), filaments filiform, 0.6–1.1 mm, anthers yellowish, 0.3–0.5 mm;
carpels 4–20, styles 1.4–2 mm.
6–9 mm diam.;
epicalyx bractlets linear or narrowly lanceolate to elliptic or narrowly oblong, 1.2–2(–3) mm;
hypanthium shallowly turbinate, 1.5–2.5 × 2–3(–3.5) mm, often nearly as deep as wide;
sepals heavily purple-mottled, (1.5–)2–3(–3.5) mm, acute;
petals white, often tinged with pink, oblanceolate to spatulate or obovate, 3–4 mm;
stamens 10–15, filaments filiform, 0.6–1.1 mm, anthers maroon, 0.3–0.5 mm;
carpels (1–)3–9, styles 1.4–2 mm.
light brown, 1–1.5 mm.
light brown, 1.2–1.5 mm.
Ivesia campestris
Ivesia unguiculata
Ivesia campestris is found in the southern Sierra Nevada south of the Kings River, where it replaces I. unguiculata and often occurs at higher elevations.
Ivesia campestris is the only member of the genus that commonly has 4-merous flowers. It is sometimes misidentified as I. unguiculata, especially when the pale yellow petals have faded to creamy white; the glomerules of the inflorescences tend to be yellowish green to green rather than purplish. Also, the anthers of I. campestris are yellowish, rather than maroon.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Ivesia unguiculata is found in mid-elevation meadows of the central Sierra Nevada, mostly north of the Kings River. The distinctive deep red to purplish coloration of the inflorescence, and the plant in general, can make patches of this species conspicuous as a smoky purplish haze in meadows. The shape and color of the inflorescences are similar to those of the sympatric Horkelia fusca var. parviflora, suggesting shared pollinators.
The description and illustration by J. D. Hooker (1881), supposedly of Potentilla (Ivesia) unguiculata, were based actually on material grown from seed of I. sericoleuca due to initial confusion of the two species (W. H. Brewer et al. 1876–1880, vol. 1).
The type (Kellogg s.n., CAS) of Potentilla ciliata Greene (not Rafinesque) is unquestionably this species; however, the purported locality (Owens Valley, Inyo County) is dubious and most likely an error in the labeling of the specimen by the collector.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
