This flower is from my hike in May. The flower structure is similar to those from Celastraceae, especially Paxistima myrsinites, which however has red petals. And another difference: most if not all flowers from this family display stamens between petals, whereas here they go along the petals. Any ideas? Thanks. PS: Sorry for the quality of the photos: I was just getting used to my new camera.
Closing up: Santalaceae species have flowers with triangular petals and stamens attached in the middle of petals. USDA, however, avoids showing anything in Utah except Comandra which does not match at al.
After all, it looks like to be Paxistima myrsinites. The problem with opposite stamens is explained by the fact that these are not petals but rather sepals. The petals were growing between the sepals and therefore they were alternate with stamens. I found a photo I made two weeks earlier which shows petals (although they are rather white, not red as in all web photos for Paxistima myrsinites). The second photo I made today shows tiny buds prepared for the next spring. So, the only question remains about the petal color. To resolve it I need to visit this place early next spring.
Presumably just a pale variant. Other dark-flowered shrubs also produce these, the 'Athens' sweet shrub for instance.
Could it be a holly Ilex of some sort? That was my first thought when this was first posted, but the same stamen-position difficulty stopped me mentioning it before.
Hmm, they look alike, indeed: http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio406d/images/pics/aqu/ilex_vomitoria.htm There are two problems with Ilex, though: first, I do not see any sepals in Ilex flowers and secons, Ilex is not listed for Utah, none of the species. Quite possible this is a color variety. I found one more low-quality shot with reddish flowers. Thanks, Michael and Ron.