Mentzelia multiflora
Mentzelia multiflora, commonly known as Adonis blazingstar, Adonis stickleaf, desert blazingstar, prairie stickleaf and manyflowered mentzelia is a herbaceous perennial wildflower of the family Loasaceae. Distribution Mentzelia multiflora is found in the western United States and northwestern Mexico: from Montana and North Dakota in the Great Plains; south to Texas and Southern California; and into Sonora and Chihuahua. This species prefers dry, sandy, well-drained soil. They require direct sunlight and are not found growing in the shade. Description Mentzelia multiflora grows to about tall. It has shiny white stems and numerous branches. Its sticky, bright green leaves are covered with hairs containing minute barbs. The flowers are around in diameter, are yellow in colour and normally have ten petals. The flowers open in late afternoon and close in the morning. The flowers are hermaphrodite and flower from March to October. The plant does not live for more than three yearsGrowth in selectively cut Ponderosa Pine forests of the Pacific Northwest - page 9. Varieties Varieties of Mentzelia multiflora include: Mentzelia multiflora var. integra — M.E. Jones Mentzelia multiflora var. longiloba — (J. Darl.) Kartesz Mentzelia multiflora var. multiflora Taxonomy Mentzelia multiflora was first described by the botanists Thomas Nuttall and Asa Gray. It is a "blazingstar" and is a member of the genus Mentzelia, the "stickleafs". Uses Medicinal The plant is used by the Native Americans, particularly the Navajo people, as a medicinal plant. It has been used to treat toothache and as a diuretic. The roots and leaves have been used to treat tuberculosis. Cultivation The plant is cultivated as an ornamental plant, used as a wildflower in specialty gardens. References External links Calflora Database: Mentzelia multiflora (Adonis blazingstar) Jepson Manual treatment for Mentzelia multiflora subsp. longiloba multiflora North American desert flora Flora of the Great Plains (North America) Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of Northwestern Mexico Flora of the California desert regions Flora of the Sonoran Deserts Flora of Arizona Flora of Nebraska Flora of New Mexico Flora of Oklahoma Flora of Sonora Flora of Texas Natural history of the Mojave Desert Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Taxa named by Asa Gray Taxa named by Thomas Nuttall Flora without expected TNC conservation status