General: Smoothstem Blazingstar (Mentzelia laevicaulis) is a perennial forb that starts as a basal rosette and eventually puts up a tall flower stalk (to 1 m). Stem surfaces range from glabrous to rough hairy. The leaves are lanceolate and have a white rachus and wavy margins. Lower leaves to about 25 cm, upper leaves to about 10 cm. Flowers yellow with five, long-linear petals and many long stamens. Seed pods are large, to about 3.5 cm)

Smoothstem Blazingstar is an uncommon component of vegetation communities in dry, well-drained gravelly areas on bajadas into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland), Transition (Yellow Pine Forest), Canadian (Pine-Fir Forest) life zone, and Hudsonian (Bristlecone Pine Forest) life zones.

Around Las Vegas, look for Smoothstem Blazingstar at middle and higher elevations in Red Rock Canyon NCA and up on Mt. Charleston.

Family: Loasa (Loasaceae)