 Imagine being an early pioneer trekking across Wyoming's harsh, windy desert in a covered wagon. Like pioneers, they had little shelter in such conditions. Plant life as well has had to adapt to survive and persist in this climate. Located southeast of Lander, Wyoming, Beaver Rim supports a variety of plant species uniquely adapted to such a harsh climate. Beaver Rim is home to a couple of very special plant species. Beaver Rim flocks, which is considered a special management concern, is a leafy perennial forb that forms loose mats of short, erect stems with white-pedaled flowers. Mat-forming plants, which are common on Beaver Rim, are unique, slow-growing plants that grow in low, tight clumps. Mat-forming plants are commonly found in areas where the weather is dry and often windy. Other plants could not thrive in these conditions, as they would be broken by heavy winds, frost-nipped, or unable to access water and nutrients. Beaver Rim is home to an extremely rare plant known as Desert Yellowhead, a wildflower that was only discovered in 1990, and whose entire global distribution is limited to about 6 acres. The genus name Yermo is a Spanish word meaning uninhabited land, a fitting description of the remote badland setting where this plant occurs. With clusters of bright yellow flowers and thick, leathery leaves, Desert Yellowhead is a showy plant, odd for such a harsh, barren landscape. Desert Yellowhead is known only from one single occurrence, right here on Beaver Rim. It is not only the view that's spectacular from up here, but the plant life that thrives in such a harsh condition. From the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, I'm Rachel Meeler, exploring the nature of Wyoming.