Thompson's woolly locoweed

Description:

Astragalus mollissimus var. thompsoniae ("thompsonae" is an orthographic variant due to ICBN changes) in early anthesis. The plant is named in honor of John Wesley Powell's wife, Ellen Thompson, who collected plants in the Kanab, Utah area in 1872 (which is where the type for this taxon came from). Park Service employees were indicating that plants were not yet in bloom on this date, but things have a way of quickly changing on the ground, and this was one of about a half-dozen species that were found in flower in this area on this date. And this was the only species where there were more than just a few plants in flower. Typically this is one of the earlier flowering species. Solitary scattered plants are most often encountered. March 21, 2009, Capitol Reef National Park, Grand Wash, Wayne County, Utah elev. about 5400 ft.