Dentate Blazing Star

Mentzelia tridentata

Color: Cream to white

Common name: Dentate Blazing Star, Threetooth Blazingstar

Latin name: Mentzelia tridentata

Family: LOASACEAE

Height: 4–10 inches

Description: Mentzelia tridentata is a spreading to erect annual with 5–13 mm sepals and 10-40mm petals.

Leaf: The 1–9 cm leaf is wavy or toothed.

Range: c Mojave Desert

Habitat: Creosote-bush scrub

Elevation: 700–1000 m.

Flowering time: Apr–May

Notes: Mentzelia tridentata is a dicot that is native to California and is endemic (limited) to California alone. It is included in the CNPS Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants on list 1B.3 — rare, threatened, or endangered in California. These photos was taken during April 2011 near Barstow, San Bernardino County, California.

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Photo tips: Most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a macro function - usually symbolized by the icon of a little flower. When you turn on that function, you allow your camera to get closer to the subject, looking into a flower for example. Or getting up close and personal with a bug. More on desert photography.

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