"Ipomopsis" means "similar to Ipomoea" ("Morning Glories", one of which has a tubular red flower).

     The word "Gilia" is pronounced "Gee lee uh", because the plant was named for Italian clergyman and scientist, Filippo Luigi Gilii (gee lee ee).  (See biographical information.)

Click for Ipomopsis tenuituba photographs.

Semi-desert, foothills, montane. Woodlands, meadows, openings. Spring, summer, fall.
Abajo Mountains, Utah, June 12, 2009.

Scarlet Gilia is one of our most widely spread and common wild flowers, occurring from the lowest elevations to high mountains and blooming from late spring through summer and into fall. The finely cut green basal leaves are silver speckled with fine white hairs and are easily identified even when no more of the plant has appeared. Flowers range from fiery red to red/orange and, most rarely, to yellow.  Early flower buds look similar to the Penstemon, Scarlet Bugler, another very common, long-blooming, bright red flower in the Four Corners area.

The species name "aggregata", is from the Latin for "brought together", probably referring to the cluster of flowers.

Scarlet Gilia was first described by Frederick Pursh in 1814 from a specimen collected by Meriwether Lewis along the Lolo Trail in Idaho.  Pursh called the plant, "Cantua aggregata".  The plant has endured dozens of scientific name changes since 1814. The name "Gilia aggregata" was given in 1825 by Sprengel and in 1956 Polemoniaceae experts, Verne and Alva Grant assigned the name, "Ipomopsis aggregata", but as often happens with a name that has been so long used, the "Gilia" part of the name just wouldn't die and remains with the plant in its most often used common name, "Scarlet Gilia".

Semi-desert, foothills, montane. Woodlands, meadows, openings. Spring, summer, fall.
Roaring Fork Road, June 29, 2006.

Semi-desert, foothills, montane. Woodlands, meadows, openings. Spring, summer, fall.
Abajo Mountains, Utah, June 12, 2009.

Notice the stamens and anthers protruding beyond the throat of the flower.  This is one key factor distinguishing I. aggregata from I. tenuituba.

Semi-desert, foothills, montane. Woodlands, meadows, openings. Spring, summer, fall.
Roaring Fork Road, June 29, 2006.

Semi-desert, foothills, montane. Woodlands, meadows, openings. Spring, summer, fall.
Ryman Creek Trail, May 18, 2006.

The basal, green, finely cut leaves of Scarlet Gilia are a common sight from the Pinyon-Juniper forests to mountain meadows. The leaves over-winter so they, like the basal leaves of Pterogonum alatum (Winged Buckwheat), are familiar sights to many hikers.  A close inspection of Scarlet Gilia leaves will show glistening silvery hairs along the surface.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Ipomopsis aggregata