About Mentzelia nitens Greene
Mentzelia nitens Greene is an annual herb. It grows an erect, whitish-green stem that is sometimes slightly hairy, reaching a maximum height of around 34 centimeters. Its lobed leaves grow up to 15 centimeters long in a basal rosette; leaves positioned higher on the stem are smaller in size, and are sometimes unlobed. The inflorescence is a small cluster of bright, shiny yellow flowers. The flowers have round, slightly indented petals up to 1.5 centimeters long, and the petals are sometimes marked with red near their bases. The fruit is a narrow, curving utricle that can be up to 2.6 centimeters in length, and it contains many minute seeds that appear bumpy when viewed under magnification.
