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Mentzelia procera

(Wooton & Standl.) J.J. Schenk & L. Hufford

Upright Blazingstar

G4Apparently Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1253238
Element CodePDLOA03330
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderViolales
FamilyLoasaceae
GenusMentzelia
Concept Reference
Schenk, J. J., and L. Hufford. 2010. Taxonomic novelties from western North America in Mentzelia section Bartonia (Loasaceae). Madroño 57(4): 246-260.
Taxonomic Comments
Mentzelia procera has been included in M. pumila (as M. pumila var. procera) in previous treatments. According to Schenk and Hufford (2010), "Mentzelia procera can be distinguished from M. pumila by sinuate versus straight anticlinal walls of seed coat testal cells, respectively. The two species have overlapping morphological states, although petal lengths (9.5–16.3 mm vs. 11.5–20 mm) and capsule size (9.8–18.8 mm vs. 11.5–20mm) are generally smaller in M. procera than in M. pumila." They go on to say, "Molecular phylogenetic results (Schenk 2009) indicate that M. procera is more closely related to M. integra (M. E. Jones) Tidestr. and M. sivinskii ... than it is to M. pumila." The FNA (2016, vol. 12) treatment also recognizes M. procera as distinct.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-01-05
Change Date2024-01-05
Edition Date2024-01-05
Edition AuthorsTomaino, A. (2024)
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Mentzelia procera is known from eastern Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, west Texas, and Chihuahua and Coahuila, Mexico.
Range Extent Comments
Mentzelia procera is known from eastern Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, west Texas, and Chihuahua and Coahuila, Mexico (Schenk and Hufford 2020). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
Based on NatureServe Network occurrence data, herbarium records, and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024). In Colorado, there are three known occurrences, one of which has not been observed in over 20 years (CNHP 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Schenk and Hufford (2020) mention that Mentzelia procera grows on soils that are often disturbed.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Mentzelia procera grows on dry hillsides, roadcuts, roadsides, sandy, clayey, or silty soils (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2016, Schenk and Hufford 2020).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
ArizonaSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
ColoradoS1Yes
Plant Characteristics
DurationBIENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
New Mexico (2)
AreaForestAcres
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
References (9)
  1. Ackerfield, J. 2015. Flora of Colorado. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, TX. 818 pp.
  2. Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP). 2024. Biodiversity Tracking and Conservation System (Biotics 5). Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
  3. 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.
  4. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  5. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  6. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Schenk, J. J., and L. Hufford. 2010. Taxonomic novelties from western North America in <i>Mentzelia </i>section<i> Bartonia</i> (Loasaceae). Madroño 57(4): 246-260.
  8. Schenk, J.J. and L. Hufford. 2020. A phylogenetic monograph of <i>Mentzelia</i> Section Bartonia (Loasaceae). Systematic Botany Monographs 110:1-239.
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).