Mentzelia rusbyi

Plant: perennial herb; stems to 100 cm tall, producing branches along their upper half Leaves: to 15 cm long, to 2 cm wide, sessile, narrowly elliptic to lanceolate; margins shallowly toothed, occasionally subentire; upper leaves with prominently clasping bases INFLORESCENCE: cymose Flowers: pedicellate, with 2-4 lanceolate few-lobed bracts mostly arising from the ovary; petals white, but drying pale yellow, erect-spreading at anthesis, 14-23 mm long, 4-6 mm wide, with trichomes at apex only; staminodia ca. 3, equal to or smaller than petals; stamens with broad filaments few; style 9-12 mm long; stigmatic papillae forming a slight tuft Fruit: CAPSULES cylindric, 14-32 mm long. SEEDS horizontal, winged, oval to obovate, flattened; testa cells with sinuate adjoining walls, the surface walls a finely cobble-stone dome Misc: various substrates, especially roadsides; 2000-2600 m (6500-8500 ft); Jun-Sep REFERENCES: Christy, Charlotte M. 1998. Loasaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. 30(2): 96.