54 



WILD FLOWERS OF CALIFORNIA 



595. Blazing Star 



Mentzelia laevicaulis 



596. 

 597. 

 598. 

 599. 

 600. Bartonia 



601. 

 602. 



603. 



604. 



Mentzelia 

 Mentzelia 

 Mentzelia 

 Mentzelia 

 Mentzelia 



Mentzelia 



micrantha 



dispersa 



affinis 



gracilenta 



Lindleyi 



congesta 

 Mentzelia tricuspis 



Eucnide urens 



Petalonyx Thurberi 



The name describes it. Truly 

 a blazing yellow star with 

 very large, light yellow 

 blossoms centered by num- 

 erous long and conspic- 

 uous stamens. A stout 

 branching plant with shin- 

 ing white stems and 

 tooth leaves. Dry stream 

 beds and various Coast 

 ranges and Sierras. 



Smaller flowered, not par- 

 ticularly attractive. Well 

 described in the local 

 floras of the Coast region. 



Petals bright orange. 

 Sierras. Rare. 



East- 



ern 



Plants about 6 inches high, 

 stout, coarsely toothed 

 leaves. Flowers large. 

 Near San Bernardino and 

 southward in the deserts. 



Resembles Mentzelia. Stout, 

 low, numerous stinging 

 hairs, flowers large, yel- 

 low. Desert region, south- 

 eastern California. 



Perennial, rough, with 

 barbed hairs, shrubby at 

 base. Flowers small, in 

 terminal clusters. San 

 Bernardino and south 

 through the desert region. 

 Common. 



CUCUMBER FAMILY CUCURBITACEAE 



605. Chili Cojote Curcubita foetidissima 



perennis 



Large roots; stems creeping and rooting; triangular heart-shaped leaves; 

 flowers large, violet-scented ; fruit globose, two or three inches in diameter, smooth, 

 yellow, filled with a bitter pulp. Pulp of immature fruit used with soap to remove 

 stains from clothing. Medicinal. Seeds eaten by Indians. San Joaquin Valley 

 southward. 



606. Desert Mock Orange Curcubita palmata 



Leaves thick, divided into 

 5 lobes, flowers small, 

 fruit round like an orange 

 when ripe. Salton Sink 

 and southeastern deserts. 

 607. Common Man Root Echinocystis fabacea 



Very large roots, hence the name "Man Root". Long trailing stems. Clusters 

 of small greenish-white flowers. Spiny fruits which contain seeds not unlike a 

 hazelnut in size and shape. The herbage is disliked by stock and the roots are 

 very difficult to eradicate, sending up new leafage from the root when cut off. 



Quite variable, so that the forms are considered species by some authors. 



Hilly sandy lands, Coast ranges and interior valley. 



