Mentzelia pumila

Mentzelia pumila
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Cornales
Family:	Loasaceae
Genus:	Mentzelia
Species:	M. pumila
Binomial name
Mentzelia pumila Nutt. ex. Torr. & A. Gray

Mentzelia pumila, (Dwarf mentzelia, Desert Blazing Star, Blazing Star, Bullet Stickleaf, Yellow mentzelia, Evening star, Moonflower, etc.) is a biennial wildflower found in the western United States and northern Mexico from Montana and North Dakota, south to Sonora and Chihuahua. It is a blazingstar and is a member of the Mentzelia genus, the stickleafs; member species are also called "evening stars", but some stickleafs close at sunset, as does M. pumila.

Leaves of Desert Blazing Star are long, very narrow, and serrated-pinnate-like; also medium to light grayish green; an individual plant in an opportune site can be 1.5-2.5 feet (1 m) in height. The flowers are a bright, glossy medium yellow, and the major petals are variable, sometimes 5 major, 5 minor; also 4 and 4.

The root is a laxative^[1]

Footnotes

1. ^ http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Mentzelia+pumila

References

• USDA: NRCS: Plants Profile Mentzelia pumila
• Mentzelia pumila synopsis at LBJ Wildflower Center

External links

• Photo-Medium Res--(NOTE: 5-1/2 major petals, 5 minor-(a VARIATION)); Article - www.saguaro-juniper.com – "Wildflowers on Saguaro-Juniper Lands"
• Photo-High Res--(Field Photo); Photo-(Flower-(and Seed pod)--Very High Res); Article - www.naturesongs.com – "Verde Valley-(Arizona) Plants"

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