Plant ID
We have been trying to identify this plant (found in the grasslands) but have been unable to do so yet. Anyone knowing what it is can contact me at dsmith@kamloopstrails.net (thanks).
It resembles lamb’s ears but the distinct yellow bracts don’t seem to fit the description.
I was having some difficulty identifying this brightly colored yellow plant which emerged in the grasslands early. I posted a request for help onto my Kamloops Trails website and got help from Wayne Robinson and Rick Tucker. The host plant is an arabis (part of the mustard family). It has been infected with a rust fungus (puccinia monoica) which shuts down the plant’s normal flowering process and forces the plant to produce pseudo-flowers to attract insects to complete its own reproductive cycle. Here is an article – http://eol.org/pages/6779138/details