Blazingstar (4)

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 white Blazingstars.

	Chama Blazing Star Mentzelia conspicua Family: Stickleaf (Loasaceae) AKA: Remarkable Blazing Star Photo taken on: August 19, 2008 Location: FS Rd 151, Chama River Valley, NM Life Zones: Foothills Habitat: Roadsides, barren slopes, pinyon-juniper woodland Grows to 2 feet tall with branched white stems and rough leaves. Leaves are narrow with deeply cut teeth and are green on the upper surface. Flowers are solitary at the end of the branches. It grows in similar habitats to Adonis Blazing Star below but has bright golden yellow flowers.
	Flowers are more than 2" across with 10 petals and long stamens. This plant is endemic to the Chama River valley. The photo below was taken in Box Canyon at Ghost Ranch, NM. Identified from New Mexico Rare Plants Flora of North America reference.
	Adonis Blazingstar Mentzelia multiflora Family: Stickleaf (Loasaceae) AKA: Manyflowered Mentzelia, Desert Blazingstar, Pegapega Photo taken on: August 9, 2014 Location: Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM Life Zones: Plains and foothills Habitat: Dry sandy areas, roadsides Grows to 2 ½ feet tall with stout white branched stems. Flowers are up to 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. Flora of North America reference.
	Cutleaf Blazingstar Mentzelia laciniata Family: Stickleaf (Loasaceae) AKA: Photo taken on: September 16, 2016 Location: Red Wash Canyon, Abiquiu, NM Life Zones: Plains and foothills Habitat: Dry sandy areas Grows 12" to 18" high, branching at the top. Like the Chama Blazingstar, the leaves are deeply divided with narrow lobes but the lemon yellow petals are less than 1" long. Flora of North America reference.
	Whitestem Blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis Family: Stickleaf (Loasaceae) AKA: Rama pegajosa, Small-flowered Blazingstar Photo taken on: May 13, 2019 Location: CR 142, Abiquiu, NM Life Zones: Plains and foothills Habitat: Dry, sandy, gravel areas This Blazingstar shares the rough, deeply lobed leaves of the other plants on this page but the flower is quite different and the overall plant is more dainty, less bushy. It grows from one inch to a foot high from a distinctive basal rosette. The stem is pale in color, maturing to white, with flowers growing at the tips of the branches. The flower heads often are nodding. Flowers have 5 yellow petals which are orange at the center and are barely ½ inch across. Flora of North America reference.

Yellow Single Flowers