| 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]
