Mentzelia laevicaulis
Encyclopedia
Mentzelia laevicaulis is a showy wildflower native to western North America. Its common names include giant blazing star and smoothstem blazing star.
This is a widespread plant which can be found in sandy, rocky, and disturbed areas, such as roadsides.
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 sepal
s. The center of the open-faced flower is filled with a great many whiskery yellow stamen
s. Beneath the petals are long, curling bract
s.
This is a widespread plant which can be found in sandy, rocky, and disturbed areas, such as roadsides.
Description
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. The plant bears capsule fruits containing winged seeds.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 sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s. The center of the open-faced flower is filled with a great many whiskery yellow stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. Beneath the petals are long, curling bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s.