Blazingstar (3)
Blazingstars, the Mentzelia genus, are also called Eveningstars because they do not open until late in the afternoon, making photography a challenge. During the day their flowers are tightly closed so easily overlooked. They are in the Stickleaf family, so named because their leaves have barbed hairs and stick to clothing and fur like Velcro. Mentzelia are difficult to distinguish. I found this article by Robert Sivinski to be very useful. See also yellow Blazingstars.
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Bractless Blazingstar Family:
Stickleaf (Loasaceae) Grows to 3ft tall with flowers over 3" across that open in the evening. Flowers have 10 petals and numerous stamens that are almost as long as the petals. It is similar to Mentzelia decapetala (not in this site), which has much larger flowers and shorter stamens. Flora of North America reference. |
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Adonis Blazingstar Family:
Stickleaf (Loasaceae) Grows to 2 ½ft tall with stout white branched stems. Flowers are 2" across with long stamens. Most images that I have seen on the Internet are bright yellow, but I mostly see pale yellow, almost white, flowers in Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties. Identified from Santa Fe Botanical Garden.
Flora of North America reference. |
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Rusby's Blazingstar Family:
Stickleaf (Loasaceae) Grows to 3ft tall with stout stems branching only in the top half, unlike M. multiflora which branches the entire length. Leaves are shallowly toothed and similarly barbed. Flowers are white. Found at higher elevations than M. multiflora.
Flora of North America reference. |
