tropical blazingstar
Mentzelia aspera L.
Mentzelia aspera, known as tropical blazingstar, is a flowering plant in the family Loasaceae. Native to the subtropical and tropical regions of the New World, it ranges from Arizona to northwestern Argentina and has been introduced to Cape Verde. This annual plant can grow up to 75 cm tall and is commonly found in desert scrublands, grasslands, and riverine areas like arroyos and canyon bottoms, often near cottonwoods and willows.
Description
Mentzelia aspera is distributed across a wide range, including regions in South and Central America, as well as the southern United States. It is also found in various subregions of Colombia and has been documented in places like Antioquia, Cauca, and Valle del Cauca. The species was first described in 1753 by L. and is part of the genus Mentzelia. It has been noted in botanical discussions that an epitype designation might be desirable if suitable material from Hispaniola becomes available, due to the poor quality of earlier illustrations.
Other common names
tropical blazingstar
Distribution
Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Nariño, Santander, Sucre, Valle del Cauca · BR · Subregiones: Cordillera central · Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Vía Parque Isla de Salamanca · Aratoca · Antioquia, Atlántico, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Nariño, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle · Argentina Northwest · Arizona · Aruba · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil Northeast · Brazil North · Brazil Southeast · Brazil West-Central · Cape Verde · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Galápagos · Guatemala · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico Central · Mexico Gulf · Mexico Northeast
Synonyms
Acrolasia squalidaMentzelia pedicellataMentzelia trilobaMentzelia aspera var. canescensMentzelia aspera var. virescensMentzelia aspera var. lobataMentzelia propinquaMentzelia corumbaensisMentzelia fragilisMentzelia stipitata
