Mentzelia aspera, the tropical blazingstar, is a species of flowering plant in the family Loasaceae.[1] It is native to the subtropical and tropical New World, from Arizona to northwestern Argentina, and it has been introduced to Cape Verde.[2] An annual reaching, it is found in a variety of habitats, including desert scrublands and grasslands, and in riverine situations, such as arroyos and canyon bottoms, often in association with cottonwoods and willows.[1]