This 3-7 foot tall native perennial, a partial parasite on roots of other plants, is at the northwest edge of its range. Its deeply divided (pinnate) basal leaves up to 16 inches long, often with a reddish tinge, are quite obvious in early spring (F). Opposite upper leaves become progressively smaller, lance-shaped and undivided (E). At the ends of branched stems are leafy spikes of yellow tubular flowers with 5 spreading unequal lobes (A,B). Dasistoma means “woolly mouth,” an apt description of the inside of the flower which is matted with yellow hairs. It lasts only one day and is eventually replaced by a persistent beaked green capsule which turns purple to deep brown as it matures (D).