Not a very large family, all but one natives of America; herbs, armed
with hooked, stinging or sticky hairs; without stipules; the flowers
perfect, with five sepals and five to ten petals; the stamens numerous,
with threadlike filaments, the outer ones sometimes petal-like,
inserted with the petals on the throat of the calyx and usually
arranged in clusters opposite the petals; the ovary inferior, with a
threadlike style; the capsule crowned with the calyx-lobes.
There are many kinds of Mentzelia, all western, often with white
shining stems and alternate leaves; the calyx cylindrical or
top-shaped, with five lobes; the petals five or ten; the styles three,
somewhat united. The barbed hairs which clothe the stems and leaves
make the plant stick to whatever it touches, probably helping to
distribute the seeds, hence the common name Stick-leaf.
[Sidenote: =Blazing Star=
_Mentzèlia laevicàulis_
=Yellow
Summer, autumn
West, except Wash. and Ariz.=]
A stout, branching biennial, two to over three feet tall, with shining
white stems, almost smooth, long, rather narrow, wavy-toothed leaves
and enormous flowers, in clusters of two or three at the ends of the
branches and opening only in bright sunlight. They are from three
to five inches across, with five, broad, light yellow petals and
quantities of very long stamens, making a beautiful center. Five of
the stamens have broadened filaments, resembling narrow petals, the
style is three-cleft, and the capsule is oblong, containing many flat,
winged seeds. These plants usually grow in dry stream-beds and are not
rare, but through various accidents I have never been able to secure a
drawing of either this or the next.
[Illustration: Blue Violet--V. adunca var. longipes.