Taxon Report

Mentzelia eremophila (Jeps.) H.J. Thomps. & Joyce Roberts

solitary blazing star

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Mentzelia eremophila, commonly known as solitary blazing star, is a annual herb in the Loasaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Mojavean desert scrub, growing at elevations from 700 to 1220 meters. Mentzelia eremophila is ranked 4.2, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Mentzelia eremophila (Jeps.) H.J. Thomps. & Joyce Roberts
Common Name:	solitary blazing star
Family:	Loasaceae
Element Code:	PDLOA030G0
USDA Plants Symbol:	MEER2
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	annual herb
Blooming Period: Mar-May	Mar-May
Elevation:	700-1220 (2295-4005)
General Habitats:	Mojavean desert scrub
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	4.2
Global Rank:	G4
State Rank:	S3S4
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:	SB_CalBG/RSABG; SB_UCBG
CRPR Changes:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	0
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	0

Location


California Endemic: False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Kern (KRN), San Bernardino (SBD)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Ballinger Canyon (3411984), Cantil (3511738), Cinco (3511831), Cuddeback Lake (3511734), Dove Spring (3511841), Garlock (3511747), Helendale (3411763), Johannesburg (3511736), Mojave NE (3511821), Red Mountain (3511735), Saltdale NW (3511748), Saltdale SE (3511737)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	0
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	0	0 %

Notes



Threatened by vehicles, grazing, and mining. Can be confused with M. nitens. See Manual of the Flowering Plants of California, p. 650 (1925) by W.L. Jepson for original description, and Phytologia 21(4):281 (1971) for revised nomenclature.
Threats:

Taxonomy:

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 10 May 2025].