Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows, rocky areas. Summer.
Above: Far western San Juan National Forest, May 10, 2014; June 3, 2015; May 16, 2018; and July 17, 2020. Near Jura Knob, July 19, 2013.
Left and below: Far western San Juan National Forest, May 10, 2014 and June 3, 2015.

From its thick, woody caudex, which is clothed with persistent leaf bases and last year's leaves, Ivesia gordonii produces numerous, often vertical leaves and many flowering stems supporting showy clusters of flowers. Ivesia gordonii grows from 6-12 inches tall in showy clusters 4-8 inches in diameter.

In the photograph immediately below, you can see that small green bracts lay behind triangular yellow to yellow-green sepals which alternate with very narrow yellow to yellow-green petals.

Although Ivesia gordonii is found at low montane elevations in some of its range, it is more often found in sub-alpine and alpine settings and, in fact, is sometimes called "Alpine Ivesia". 

The photographs showing Ivesia plants on rock pavement at just 8,000 feet in a Ponderosa and Oak community are a Dolores County, Colorado record.

Ivesia gordonii was named by Torrey and Gray in 1858 after it had first been named Horkelia gordonii by Hooker in 1853.  Eli Ives was a Yale University pharmacologist and professor, and Alexander Gordon collected the first specimens of Ivesia gordonii for science along the upper Platte River in 1844.  (Click for more biographical information about Ives.) (Click for more biographical information about Gordon.)

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows, rocky areas. Summer.
Near Jura Knob, July 19, 2013.

Ivesia gordonii stems are often white hairy and/or glandular-hairy. Pinnate leaves, which can vary from 3-24 cm long, have numerous rounded leaflets which vary from 10-25 pairs and are 2-17 mm long.  The leaves and leaflets at left approach the longer measurements; the leaves in the photograph immediately above left approach the shorter measurements.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color KeySpecies 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 Ivesia gordonii