Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Mentzelia tricuspis is a species of flowering plant in the family Loasaceae known by the common name spinyhair blazingstar. It is native to the Southwestern United States and California where it grows in deserts, such as the Sonoran Desert, and adjacent mountains in scrub and woodland habitats. Mentzelia tricuspis is an annual herb growing erect or spreading to a maximum height near 27 centimeters. The leaves are up to 12 centimeters long and toothed or wavy along the edges. The inflorescence is a cluster of cream-colored flowers with petals up to 5 centimeters long and thready-tipped stamens. The fruit is a cylindrical utricle up to 1. 5 centimeters long which contains many tiny whitish beaked seeds.

Plant type

Annual herb

Size

11 in Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow, White, Cream

Bees
Butterflies

Pollinators supported

1 confirmed and 3 likely

  • Likely

  • Confirmed

Hesperapis laticeps

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee

Bombus vosnesenskii

California Mountain-Digger

Habropoda depressa

White-lined Sphinx Moth

Hyles lineata