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.
