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Mentzelia decapetala

(Pursh ex Sims) Urban & Gilg ex Gilg

Ten-petal Stickleaf

G5Secure Found in 16 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.160758
Element CodePDLOA030C0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderViolales
FamilyLoasaceae
GenusMentzelia
Other Common Names
Gumbo-lily (EN) Mentzélie à dix pétales (FR) tenpetal blazingstar (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-10
Change Date1988-12-15
Edition Date2025-03-10
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Mentzelia decapetala is a perennial herb found in short-grass prairies, on slopes, rock outcrops, riverbanks, and roadsides of North America; from Alberta and Manitoba south to Texas and Utah in the United States and Canada. It is also considered introduced to Illinois and Indiana. There are just over 300 estimated occurrences rangewide, which are potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent and high number of occurrences, Mentzelia decapetala is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Mentzelia decapetala occurs in North America, from Alberta and Manitoba south to Texas and Utah in the United States and Canada (FNA 2016, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). It is introduced to Grundy County, Illinois (FNA 2016), and also considered introduced to Indiana (Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center 2022). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are just over 300 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Mentzelia decapetala is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Mentzelia decapetala occurs on "rock outcrops, slopes, dry short-grass prairies, riverbanks, roadsides, loam, limestone, sandy, silty, clayey, and gravelly soils" from 300-2400 m in elevation (FNA 2016).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeGrassland/herbaceousBare rock/talus/scree
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
ManitobaSHYes
SaskatchewanS3Yes
AlbertaS3Yes
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
IowaS1Yes
New MexicoS2Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
IndianaSNANo
WyomingS3Yes
IdahoS1Yes
KansasS4Yes
NebraskaSNRYes
UtahS2Yes
TexasSNRYes
ColoradoS3Yes
NevadaSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
IllinoisSNANo
MontanaS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationBIENNIAL, PERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (16)
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Italian PeakCaribou-Targhee National Forest141,158
Montana (9)
AreaForestAcres
Basin CreekBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest9,500
Big LogHelena National Forest8,954
Devils TowerHelena National Forest7,144
ElkhornHelena National Forest75,468
Gallatin FringeGallatin National Forest51,571
HolterHelena National Forest1,965
Lazyman GulchHelena National Forest11,614
Lost Water CanyonCuster National Forest9,251
North AbsarokaGallatin National Forest159,075
North Dakota (3)
AreaForestAcres
Collar / Bennett - CottonwoodDakota Prairie Grasslands19,697
Ponderosa PineDakota Prairie Grasslands7,471
WannaganDakota Prairie Grasslands6,026
Wyoming (3)
AreaForestAcres
Sheep MountainMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest17,626
Sulphur CreekShoshone National Forest30,221
Trout CreekShoshone National Forest44,034
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2016. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 12. Magnoliophyta: Vitaceae to Garryaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 603 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center. 2022. Element Subnational Tracking Form: <i>Mentzelia decapetala</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 2025).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  9. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).