Arapien Stick-leaf
Mentzelia argillosa
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G1G2
State (S-rank): S1S2
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
General information
Arapien stickleaf is a long lived perennial found on the gypserious Jurassic Arapien Shale formation. It is locally endemic to the Utah Great Basin, it's limited range could contribute to this high priority ranking. The plant branches entirely from a single caudex and taproot. It has yellow flowers and elliptic shaped leaves. Mentzelias, or blazingstars are a difficult genus. Author of the Utah Flora, Stan Welsh, said "Plants in this genus are difficult to place with certainty...The notorious variability of plant size, leaf shape and lobbing, flower and shape contributes to the difficulty. Many features grade hopelessly into each other."
Description
Arapien stickleaf is a long lived perennial found on the gypserious Jurassic Arapien Shale formation. It is locally endemic to the Utah Great Basin, it's limited range could contribute to this high priority ranking. The plant branches entirely from a single caudex and taproot. It has yellow flowers and elliptic shaped leaves. Mentzelias, or blazingstars are a difficult genus. Author of the Utah Flora, Stan Welsh, said "Plants in this genus are difficult to place with certainty...The notorious variability of plant size, leaf shape and lobbing, flower and shape contributes to the difficulty. Many features grade hopelessly into each other."
Phenology
This species flowers between June and July. Most collections of flowering plants were made in late June and Early July.
Species range
The range for this species is Sanpete and Sevier Counties, Utah. It is approximately 20 miles long by 4 miles wide. Some specimens that were found in Colorado were misapplied to M. argillosa, but instead belong in M. rhizomata. There are some reported but unconfirmed occurrences in Lincoln County, Nevada.
Threats or limiting factors
The plant is threatened by mining, recreation, drought, invasive plant species, energy development and road maintainence (URPD 2025).
Taxonomy
No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies