The bracts of this species are distinctive in that they are almost entirely white, with a green border.The involucrata is of interest because it is involved in a competition for pollinators that has resulted in mimicry.

In areas where their range overlaps, Mohavea confertiflora (Ghost Flower), which does not produce nectar, has adapted a morphology resembling Mentzelia involucrata.

The habitat of the Mentzelia involucrata includes open, rocky or sandy places with creosote-bush scrubs, washes, fans, and steep slopes.

Mentzelia seeds have been identified as a staple food source for Native American tribes of the Great Basin.

In an ethnobotanical study of the Kawaiisu people, Zigmond (1981) noted that Mentzelia (kuʼu) was mentioned whenever his informants were asked to list important foods, and its gathering appeared frequently in mythology.