Golden Pea: Theremopsis montana

A Showy Yellow Pea

This showy yellow flowered plant is most often found in damp or whet soils in hills and mountains.  It can withstand drought and trampling.  It is not a very palatable food for livestock or other animals.

Description:

This plant attains a height of 1-4 feet, terminating in a long raceme of golden-yellow flowers, each flower being 1/2 to 3/4 inch long.  These plants usually occur in patches, since they spread via undergound stems.  The leaves are compound, and trifoliate with leafletes mainly oval and 1-3 inches long.  At the base of each leaf are found two large leaflike stiplues.  

People often confuse this Golden Pea or False Lupine with true lupines in the genus (Lupinus).  However, it can easily be distinguished since there are three leaflets instead of five or more.  False Lupine also has all stamens distinct instead of united together as in true lupines.