Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Summer.
Lower Stoner Mesa Trail, May 25, 2004.

A large colony of tall plants with elongated yellow flower clusters and three-parted leaves is easy to spot and identify; you are looking at the common and lovely Golden Banner.  The plants grow quickly after snow melt and by late spring large colonies are in bloom under the Aspens.  Like so many plants that form large colonies, Golden Banner spreads from underground roots.  Thermopsis montana enjoys cool, moist forests and is often surrounded by lush vegetation. 

Thomas Nuttall, famed 19th century collector, taxonomist, and teacher, collected this species in Wyoming in 1834 on the Wyeth Expedition.

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Summer.
Lower Stoner Mesa Trail, May 25, 2004.

Golden Banner is also known as "False Lupine" because the pea-shaped flowers of Golden Banner and Lupine are similar.  The genus name even recognizes this similarity: "thermos" is Greek for "Lupine" and "opsis" is Greek for "similar".

The long, thin, blue/green seed pods project vertically from the stem and are covered with downy hair.  The pods grow quickly in the late spring and early summer, and mature in late summer.  In this photograph one can still see the dried, papery floral parts clinging to the seed pods.