| Mentzelia albicaulis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Cornales |
| Family: | Loasaceae |
| Genus: | Mentzelia |
| Species: | M. albicaulis |
| Binomial name | |
| Mentzelia albicaulis (Hook.) Torr. & A.Gray |
|
Mentzelia albicaulis is a species of flowering plants in the family Loasaceae known by the common name whitestem blazing star, small flowered blazing star, white stemmed stickleaf. It is native to much of western North America, where it grows in mountain, desert, and plateau habitat.
It is an annual herb producing a stem up to 42 centimeters long, sometimes growing erect. The leaves are up to 11 centimeters long in the basal rosette, divided into even comblike lobes, and smaller farther up on the plant. The flower has five shiny yellow petals 2 to 7 millimeters long each. The fruit is a narrow, straight or curving utricle 1 to 3 centimeters long. It contains many angular seeds covered in tiny bumps.