Mentzelia dispersa
Bushy blazingstar
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Loasaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Mentzelia dispersa (Bushy blazingstar) is a native California herb in the Loasaceae family, recognized by single seed row like M. affinis but lacks orange petal base.
Bushy blazingstar is a California native annual found in the California Floristic Province and Great Basin in loamy to sandy or rocky slopes and roadsides at elevations of 900 to 3,100 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers with an orange base, 2 to 6 millimeters long, emerging from erect hairy stems. Growing 7 to 48 centimeters tall with an upright habit, it has variable leaves ranging from entire to toothed or lobed, with proximal leaves larger than 10 centimeters. Its leaves transition from broader at the base to smaller and more entire toward the stem tips, creating a distinctive appearance. The fruit is narrowly cylindric, measuring 7 to 25 millimeters long, with seeds that are tan and sometimes dark-mottled.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; single seed row like M. affinis but lacks orange petal base
Habitat and range
Habitat: Loamy to sandy or rocky slopes, roadsides
Elevation: 900-3100 m
California counties: Fresno, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Ventura, Butte, Orange, Merced, Lake, Lassen, Glenn, Inyo, San Diego, Mendocino, Trinity, Modoc, Shasta, Nevada, Siskiyou, Plumas, Madera, Tehama, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Tuolumne, Santa Barbara, Placer, Mariposa, Contra Costa, Tulare, Mono, Sierra, Colusa, Alpine, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Napa, El Dorado, Humboldt, Calaveras, San Benito, Imperial
Outside California: to British Columbia, north-central United States, New Mexico
Bloom period
Mentzelia dispersa blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Camissoniopsis: Mentzelia has many stamens and 3 stigmas; Camissoniopsis has 8 stamens and 4 stigmas.; vs Leptosiphon: Mentzelia has free petals and many stamens; Leptosiphon has fused petals forming a tube.; vs Emmenanthe: Mentzelia has free petals and 3 stigmas; Emmenanthe has fused bell-shaped petals.; vs Eschscholzia: Mentzelia has many stamens and 3 stigmas; Eschscholzia has many stamens and 4 stigmas.; vs Potentilla: Mentzelia has 3 stigmas and capsule fruit; Potentilla has many pistils and achene fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mentzelia dispersa native to California?
Yes. Mentzelia dispersa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Mentzelia dispersa bloom?
Mentzelia dispersa blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Mentzelia dispersa grow?
Mentzelia dispersa occurs in Fresno, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Ventura, Butte, Orange and other counties, at elevations of 900-3100 m.
What plant family does Mentzelia dispersa belong to?
Mentzelia dispersa is in the Loasaceae family, genus Mentzelia.
What habitat does Mentzelia dispersa grow in?
Mentzelia dispersa grows in Loamy to sandy or rocky slopes, roadsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.