LOASA FAMILY (Loasaceae)
PRAIRIE-LILY STIFF NUTTALLIA
Usually herbs which are clothed with rough, bristly hairs; sepals usually 5, calyx tube joined to ovary; petals usually 5; stamens numerous, the outer petal-like; ovary inferior.
Prairie-Lily. Showy Mentzelia (Mentzelia decapetala) is a handsome-flowered plant which ranges from the Panhandle to Southern Canada. The large flowers, 3-5 inches across, greatly resemble those of the cactus group and have the same tendency to open in the afternoon. The stout, branching plant grows 2-2½ feet high. The stems are quite conspicuous, as they soon become white and shining; the leaves are noticeable because they cling very closely to the clothing by means of barbed hairs. This clinging characteristic is responsible for the Mexican name of “buena mujer” (good woman), applied to this and other similar species.
Stiff Nuttallia (Mentzelia stricta) has smaller, paler flowers, but otherwise it is very much like the showy mentzelia except for the small leaves on the seed capsule. It grows in sandy soil, blooming in the summer and fall. Other common names include stick-leaf, poor-man’s patches, star flower, and good woman. Bartonia aurea of garden culture is a member of the group which was introduced from California.
LOW PRICKLY PEAR TEXAS PRICKLY PEAR