Ivesia lycopodioides
Ivesia unguiculata
club-moss ivesia, clubmoss mousetail
Yosemite ivesia, Yosemite mousetail
decumbent to erect, 0.3–3 dm.
decumbent to ascending, 1–3.5 dm.
tightly to loosely cylindric, 1–15 cm; sheathing base glabrous abaxially;
petiole 0.5–4 cm, hairs 0.2–1 mm;
leaflets 10–35 per side, 1–8 mm, glabrous or short-hirsute, minutely glandular, lobes (2–)4–8(–10), linear to obovate or ± orbiculate, apex sometimes setose.
(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.
0–2(–3), not paired.
3–6.
3–20(–25)-flowered, (0.5–)1–2.5(–3.5) cm diam.;
glomerules usually 1.
(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.
(0.5–)1–7(–11) mm.
1–3 mm.
6–12 mm diam.;
epicalyx bractlets oblong to oval, 0.8–2.5(–3) mm;
hypanthium shallowly cupulate, 1–2 × 2.5–5 mm;
sepals (1.8–)2–4(–4.5) mm, obtuse to acute;
petals golden yellow, obovate, 2–5 mm;
stamens 5, filaments 0.8–2 mm, anthers yellow, 0.6–0.8 mm;
carpels (5–)8–15(–18), styles 1–3 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.
greenish tan to light brown, 1.2–1.5 mm.
light brown, 1.2–1.5 mm.
Ivesia lycopodioides
Ivesia unguiculata
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).
The three varieties of Ivesia lycopodioides are for the most part readily distinguished, though intergradation is known. The high-elevation var. lycopodioides extends farthest north; var. scandularis is the only variety in the White Mountains. Variety megalopetala is found mostly at somewhat lower (subalpine) elevations and generally has a more southern range.
(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.)
1. Leaflets short-hirsute, apical setae (0–)0.5–1(–2) mm; White Mountains and c Sierra Nevada. | var. scandularis |
1. Leaflets glabrous or sparsely short-hirsute, apical setae 0–0.5 mm; Sierra Nevada and Sweetwater Mountains | → 2 |
2. Leaflet lobes ± orbiculate, ± 1 mm; petals 2–3 × 1 mm. | var. lycopodioides |
2. Leaflet lobes linear to oblanceolate, 2–8 mm; petals 3–5 × 2–4 mm. | var. megalopetala |
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
