Mentzelia pumila
Torr. & A.Gray
Loasaceae
Hesperaster pumila (Torr. & A.Gray) Cockerell
Nuttallia pumila (Torr. & A.Gray) Greene
Touterea pumila (Torr. & A.Gray) Rydb.
Common Name: Dwarf Blazingstar
General Information
Mentzelia pumila is a biennial plant with an erect, caldelabra-like form.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
Range
Western N. America - Montana, Wyoming, Colorado
Habitat
Hillside slopes, sandy and clayey soils; at elevations from 1,100 - 2,500 metres[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
]
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Prefers a moderately fertile well-drained soil in a warm sunny sheltered position[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
Seed - raw or cooked. They are parched and ground into a meal[
207- Title
- The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Coffey. T.
- Publisher
- Facts on File.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0-8160-2624-6
- Description
- A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.
]. This use has not been verified[
216- Title
- Ethnobotany of the Hopi
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whiting. A. F.
- Publisher
- North Arizona Society of Science and Art
- Year
- 1939
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very good guide the the plant uses of the N. American Hopi Indians.
].
Medicinal
The plant is used as a toothache medicine[
216- Title
- Ethnobotany of the Hopi
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whiting. A. F.
- Publisher
- North Arizona Society of Science and Art
- Year
- 1939
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very good guide the the plant uses of the N. American Hopi Indians.
].
The root is laxative[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is dried, ground into a powder and inserted as a suppository in the rectum to treat constipation[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in situ[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Germination should take place within a couple of weeks.
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
