Mentzelia inyoensis

Inyo blazing star

Family: Loasaceae · Type: biennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Inyo blazing star is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native biennial found in the White Mountains on rocky slopes, canyons, washes, and clay hills at elevations of 1,100 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers 11 to 16 millimeters long with acute tips, set against green bracts. Growing 15 to 40 centimeters tall with erect, hairy stems, it develops a distinctive branching habit. Its leaves vary from oblanceolate to elliptic in the lower parts of the plant, becoming more lanceolate toward the top, with edges that are toothed or lobed and measure 3 to 11 centimeters long. The plant produces cylindric fruits 11 to 25 millimeters long, containing small white to gray-white winged seeds.

Habitat: Rocky slopes, canyons, washes, clay hills

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: 1100-2000 m

Bioregions: W&ampI (White Mtns)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.