this plant grows in high-elevation habitat in the mountains of southwestern colorado. it can be found in a number of habitat types in montane, subalpine and alpine climates, including fellfields, talus, meadows, ridges, passes, rock outcrops, and disturbed areas. species associated with the plant include "abies lasiocarpa", "agrostis thurberiana", "anemone multifida", "draba nivalis" var. "exigua", "eritrichium aretioides", "festuca thurberi", "oreoxis alpina", "pinus ponderosa", "polemonium viscosum", "rydbergia grandiflora", "trifolium dasyphyllum", "trifolium nanum", and "valeriana capitata".