Kitten-tails / Besseya wyomingensis

Not the best photo of this new (to me) wildflower, but I had wanted to see one of these for several years. I was fascinated by the common name, Kitten-tails, too : ) Took this macro shot on July 2nd when a group of us did a botanizing day trip to Plateau Mountain, way south of the city. It is a native plant, that grows on open slopes from prairie grasslands to alpine elevations. The flowers grow on a crowded spike that is 2-5 cm long. Blooms July - August.