Mentzelia eremophila
Mentzelia affinis
pinyon blazing star, solitary blazing star
yellow comet
persisting;
petiole present or absent;
blade linear-lanceolate to linear, margins very deeply lobed, lobes slender.
persisting;
petiole present or absent;
blade linear-lanceolate to linear, margins usually deeply to moderately lobed, sinuses extending 1/4+ to midvein, rarely entire.
petiole absent;
blade ovate-lanceolate to linear, to 15 cm, margins deeply to shallowly lobed or entire.
petiole absent;
blade ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, to 17 cm, margins usually dentate or entire, rarely deeply lobed.
green, ovate to lanceolate, 4.8–12.4 × 0.9–3.5 mm, width 1/8–1/2 length, not concealing capsule, margins usually entire, rarely 2-lobed.
green, ovate to lanceolate, 2.7–6.6 × 0.9–2.1 mm, width 1/5–1/3 length, not concealing capsule, margins 3-lobed or entire.
sepals (7–)9–16 mm;
petals yellow, 12–25 mm, apex acute or mucronate;
stamens 20+, 3–10 mm, filaments monomorphic, filiform, unlobed;
styles 7–15 mm.
sepals 1–7 mm;
petals yellow to orange proximally, yellow distally, 4–12 mm, apex acute;
stamens 20+, 3–6.5 mm, filaments monomorphic, filiform, unlobed;
styles 3–6.5 mm.
clavate, 19–40 × 2–3.5 mm, axillary curved to 270° at maturity, usually inconspicuously longitudinally ribbed.
narrowly cylindric, 7–32 × 1–3 mm, axillary curved to 90° at maturity, often prominently longitudinally ribbed.
30–60, in 2+ rows distal to mid fruit, tan, usually dark-mottled, usually irregularly polygonal, occasionally triangular prisms proximal to mid fruit, surface colliculate under 10x magnification; recurved flap over hilum usually present;
seed coat cell outer periclinal wall domed, domes on seed edges less than 1/2 as tall as wide at maturity.
10–20, in 1 row distal to mid fruit, tan, dark-mottled or not, triangular prisms, surface ±smooth under 10x magnification; recurved flap over hilum absent;
seed coat cell outer periclinal wall flat.
= 18.
= 18.
Mentzelia eremophila
Mentzelia affinis
Mentzelia eremophila is narrowly distributed in eastern Kern and northwestern San Bernardino counties. It is morphologically similar and closely related to M. nitens (J. M. Brokaw and L. Hufford 2010). However, M. eremophila generally has longer sepals, petals, and styles, and populations of M. nitens have not been found south of Inyo County in California.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Herbarium specimens of Mentzelia affinis are often difficult to distinguish from those of M. dispersa despite distinct evolutionary histories (J. M. Brokaw and L. Hufford 2010). Several characters, including flower size, leaf margins, and capsule surfaces, differ substantially between these species, but habitat is the most dependable diagnostic character. Verified populations of M. affinis have not been found above 1200 meters in desert habitats, and grassland populations are usually restricted to much lower elevations. Sympatric populations of M. affinis and M. dispersa have not been found, and, in areas of range overlap in southern California, M. dispersa has not been found below 1200 meters or in desert vegetation.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
