Idaho goldthread

The photographer wrote: "Idaho goldthread is the first wildflower to bloom once the snow melts, but it only takes a couple of days once the snow has melted directly above for it to poke up a stalk with a set of three shriveled flowers. Just a few more days and the shriveled petals (or sepals) seem to expand like proverbial Pinocchio's proboscis. This set of three flowers is only an inch wide, so you have to get down and look for them. From Wikipedia: Coptis occidentalis, Idaho Goldthread, is a plant native to western North America. It is a member of the buttercup family. This plant has also been known under the binomial Chrysocoptis occidentalis and the common name western goldthread." Photo taken April 21.

By Jay Mock