Mentzelia laevicaulis
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| Mentzelia laevicaulis | ||||||||||||||
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| Mentzelia laevicaulis (Dougl. ex Hook.) Torr. & Gray |
Mentzelia laevicaulis is a showy wildflower native to western North America. Its common names include giant blazing star and smoothstem blazing star. It grows a weedy-looking, branched stem which may reach a meter in height. The whitish-green stem and its lateral branches bear the occasional triangular sawtoothed leaf. At the tip of each branch blooms a spectacular yellow flower. The star-shaped flower has five narrow, pointed petals with shiny yellow surfaces, each up to 8 centimeters long. Between the petals are long, thin yellow sepals. The center of the open-faced flower is filled with a great many whiskery yellow stamens. Beneath the petals are long, curling bracts. The plant bears capsule fruits containing winged seeds. This is a widespread plant which can be found in sandy, rocky, and disturbed areas, such as roadsides.
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