tane, of or pertaining to mountains. This plant grows from practically sea level 

 in parts of Oregon and Washington up to about 6,500 feet in Montana and about 

 10,000 feet in Utah and Colorado. It ranges from Montana to New Mexico and 

 westward to eastern Oregon and Washington ; it possibly also occurs in north- 

 ern California. Although mountain goldenpea is able to grow in relatively dry 

 soils, it attains its best development and is most abundant in moist bottom- 

 lands and in the fertile, loamy soils of the aspen type; it probably does not 

 grow on acid soils. In the central Rocky Mountains, especially on western 

 slopes in Colorado, this species is one of the most common and abundant weeds 

 of low palatability, occurring in dense, nearly pure stands as undergrowth in as- 

 pen on extensive local areas. It is also abundant in parts of Utah and Montana. 



Although sheep may occasionally nibble its flowers, mountain goldenpea is 

 worthless as range forage; in fact, there is strong likelihood of severe over- 

 grazing or a serious depletion of palatable forage wherever it is grazed ma- 

 terially. Occasional reports occur, 12 which need further substantiation, that it 

 is good hay if cut while young and succulent. Chesnut and Wilcox 3 mention 

 it as having been suspected of poisoning livestock in Montana, but in some feed- 

 ing experiments with rabbits they were unable to establish any toxic properties. 



This species tends to be rather aggressive ; when once established, mountain 

 goldenpea is apparently very resistant to drought and its deep-set, extensive 

 root system enables it to withstand considerable trampling. In addition to 

 spreading by perennial underground parts, it usually succeeds (being so little 

 grazed) in producing an annual seed crop. Consequently it often increases 

 on ranges where overgrazing has somewhat depleted the more palatable 

 vegetation. It flowers during late spring and early summer. 



GOLDENPE AS (Thermop'sis spp.) 



Goldenpeas, also known as buffalo-peas and yellowpeas, compose a small 

 genus of about 20 species, native to North America and northern and eastern 

 Asia. Approximately 12 species occur in the West, being widely distributed 

 from Washington and Saskatchewan to New Mexico and California. They 

 extend from the low plains to the higher mountains, commonly appearing in 

 parks and meadows, in brush types, and in aspen, ponderosa pine, and open 

 Douglas fir and lodgepole pine types. Although goldenpeas occur characteris- 

 tically as scattered individuals or grow in small patches, some species are very 

 common and often are abundant locally. 



The goldenpeas, practically worthless as forage, are important as range plants 

 because of their wide distribution and commonness. Although sheep sometimes 

 nibble the flowers, such use is negligible. These plants have deep-set roots 

 and apparently withstand considerable drought. They spread by means of 

 creeping, underground root branches or rootstocks, and often increase on ranges 

 which have been overgrazed. Some species reputedly contain cytisin, a very 

 poisonous alkaloid found in many leguminous plants; cases of children being 

 poisoned by eating the seeds have been reported. 4 Livestock losses attributed 

 to these plants, although reported, have never been authenticated. 



Goldenpeas are attractive, rather low, perennial herbs, with yellow (rarely 

 purple), pealike, odorless flowers borne in usually many-flowered, long, terminal 

 clusters. They are further distinguished by alternate, stalked leaves, divided 

 into three leaflets; large, leaflike bracts (stipules) at the base of the leaf- 

 stalks ; 10 separate stamens ; and narrow, flat, 2-valved, many-seeded pods. The 

 generic name Thermopsis is a combination of thermos, an ancient Greek word 

 for lupine, and opsis, resemblance, and refers to the general similarity of these 

 plants to some of the lupines. 



Several species, including bean goldenpea (T. faba'cea), a Siberian species, 

 and Carolina goldenpea (T. carolinia'na) and soft goldenpea (T. mol'lis) of 

 the Eastern States, are commonly grown as ornamentals. 



1 Rydbere P. A. CATALOGUE OF THE FLORA OF MONTANA AND THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL 

 PARK. Mem. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 1, 492 pp., illus. 1900. 



2 Smith J. G. FODDER AND FORAGE PLANTS, EXCLUSIVE OF THE GRASSES. IT. S. Dept. 

 Agr., Div. Agrost. Bull. 2, rev., 86 pp., illus. 1900. 



3 Chesnut V. K., and Wilcox. E. V. THE STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF MONTANA : A 

 PRELIMINARY REPORT. U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Bot. Bull. 26, 150 pp., illus. 1901. 



4 Pammel, L. H. A MANUAL OP POISONOUS PLANTS CHIEFLY OF EASTERN NORTH 



AMERICA, WITH BRIEF NOTES ON ECONOMIC AND MEDICINAL. PLANTS ... 2 ptS., illUS. 



Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 1910-11. 



