Stickleaf

What’s in a name? In this case, ambiguity. Mentzelia oligosperma is called stickleaf not because its leaves look like sticks, but because they stick to your clothing, flattening themselves and clinging to fabric so readily that it’s hard to get them off. The clinging nature of the leaves aside, the plant’s yellow-orange flowers are pretty, don’t you think? I photographed this one on the Brushy Creek Regional Trail in Williamson County—which was coincidentally the setting for the last two posts—on November 1.

For more information about Mentzelia oligosperma, including a state-clickable map showing the many places where the species grows, you can visit the USDA website.

© 2011 Steven Schwartzman