Skunktop

Pediomelum mephiticum (S. Wats.) Rydberg
Psoralea mephilica S. Wats. (; E. Palmer, Am. Nat. 12: 601; hyponym. 1878) Proc. Am. Acad. 14: 291. 1879.
A perennial, with a fusiform root about 1 dm. long and 1 cm. thick; stem above ground scarcely any; leaves clustered at the base, digitately 5-foliolate; stipules scarious, ovate, acuminate, 1 cm. long or less; petioles 4-6 cm. long, with spreading orretrorse pubescence; leaflets cuneate or obovate, rounded or retuse at the apex, 1-2 cm. long, canescently strigose beneath, less densely so or glabrate above; peduncles 2-5 cm. long, with spreading or reflexed white hairs; spikes about 2 cm. long, dense; bracts ovate, scarious, acuminate or acute; calyx longhairy; tube 4 mm. long; lobes subequal in length, 7-8 mm. long, the upper four subulate, the lowest one lanceolate; corolla blue, about 12 mm. long; banner oblong.
Type locality: Near Beaver City, Utah [as given by Watson; Palmer, loc. cit., gives the locality southeast of St. George, Utah].
Distribution: Southern Utah and Arizona.