Plants with ground-level or subterranean caudices. Stems 5–25 cm. Leaves: petiole absent; blade ovate or obovate, to 45 × 35 mm, intersinus distance 2–4 mm. Pedicels 0(–1.5) mm. Flowers: petals yellow to orange, narrowly spatulate to obovate, 4.5–17 × 1.2–5 mm, apex rounded; stamens 25–45, 7–21 mm; styles 7–18 mm. Capsules 3–7 × 3–4.5 mm. Seeds 3–9 per capsule, edges prominently to inconspicuously ridged. 2n = 28.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

w United States.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in flora).

In the phylogenetic study by L. Hufford et al. (2003), Mentzelia torreyi was recovered as the sister to the rest of the genus.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Mentzelia torreyi var. acerosa, Mentzelia torreyi var. torreyi

Key

1	Petals 8–17 mm, yellow; longest stamens to 1 mm longer than petals.	Mentzelia torreyi var. torreyi
1	Petals 4.5–8 mm, orangish yellow, orange, or burnt orange; longest stamens usually much more than 1 mm longer than petals.	Mentzelia torreyi var. acerosa