Mentzelia puberula
Darlington's blazing star, Darlington's Blazing Star
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · licence
Family: Loasaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Mentzelia puberula (Darlington's blazing star) is a native California perennial in the Loasaceae family, recognized by perennial with non-clasping leaves in low desert habitat.
Darlington's blazing star is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in southeastern Mojave Desert and eastern Sonoran Desert in sandy crevices in cliffs or rocky slopes at elevations of 90 to 1,280 meters. Flowering from February to October, this plant produces bright yellow flowers with delicate petals 7 to 14 millimeters long and distinctively shaped stamens. Growing with erect, hairy stems 15 to 54 centimeters tall that branch throughout, it develops from a subshrub-like, branched taproot. Its leaves vary from widely obovate in the lower portion of the plant to sessile ovate forms in the upper branches, with most leaves measuring 2 to 6.5 centimeters long and featuring subtle tooth-like edges. The fruit is a distinctive cup-shaped structure 5 to 10 millimeters wide, containing small lenticular seeds with light brown bodies and white wings.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species; perennial with non-clasping leaves in low desert habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy crevices in cliffs or rocky slopes
Elevation: 90-1280 m
Outside California: to southern Nevada, Arizona, Baja California, Sonora
Bloom period
Mentzelia puberula blooms Feb-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
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 puberula native to California?
Yes. Mentzelia puberula is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Mentzelia puberula bloom?
Mentzelia puberula blooms Feb-Oct.
What plant family does Mentzelia puberula belong to?
Mentzelia puberula is in the Loasaceae family, genus Mentzelia.
Is Mentzelia puberula rare or endangered?
Mentzelia puberula carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S2.
What habitat does Mentzelia puberula grow in?
Mentzelia puberula grows in Sandy crevices in cliffs or rocky slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.