Search / Plant Profile / Mentzelia densa

Plant Profile

Royal Gorge Stickleaf (Mentzelia densa)

Closeup of a bright yellow flower and buds. Photo Credit: Susan Spackman

Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Loasaceae
State: CO
Nature Serve ID: 151385
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/10/1987

Description:

Mentzelia densa forms a dense ball up to a meter tall of prickly leaves. These prickly leaves look like miniature Chinese pagodas and easily catch onto clothing and fur. Flowers appear mid-summer and are sunburst-like. The fruit is an oblong dry capsule which is believed to be dispersed by animals, via fur attachment (CNSP 1997). This species is found from only one location in central Colorado, on granite (Coles 1990).

Where is Royal Gorge Stickleaf (Mentzelia densa) located in the wild?

Habitat:

M. densa can be found growing in washes and naturally disturbed sites, and steep rocky slopes. Underlying bedrock includes granite, gneiss, gravel, and scree. It can also be found on dry open sites, often with pinyon-juniper, sagebrush, or mountain mahogany at elevations of 5800-7200 ft. (Coles 1990).

Distribution:

M. densa is known from one location in Colorado (Coles 1990).

States & Provinces:

Royal Gorge Stickleaf can be found in Colorado

Which CPC Partners conserve Royal Gorge Stickleaf (Mentzelia densa)?

Denver Botanic Gardens

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

There are 16 occurrences known, and about 6 are of good viability. This is a locally common, narrow endemic of the drainages and main canyon of the Arkansas River in central Colorado (a range only about 40 km long). Threats to the species include recreational use of habitat, highway construction and maintenance and, residential/vacation home development.

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

Possible rerouting of US Highway 50 might affect known populations (Von Bargen 1997).

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

Only one known population (Von Bargen 1997).

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

There is no formal management plan.

Thomas Grant

01/01/2010

Research needs include understanding this species reproductive biology and ecology, habitat requirements and population dynamics.