The Mystery of the Desert Yellowhead

How does a plant whose closest relatives grow 800 miles away in the fertile and moist prairies to the East come to occupy the high dry barren desert of Central Wyoming?
Only discovered in 1991, Desert Yellowhead (Yermo xanthocephalus) is possibly one of the rarest plants in North America, a relict of amich different climate and time period in Western North America, when the landscape of Central Wyoming looked much different than it does today.
Bonus Footage in this episode includes the Wyoming population of the rare Blowout Penstemon, Penstemon haydenii, as well as some of Wyoming's Ancient Banded Iron Formations.
Your contributions support this content. It sounds clichéd, but it's true. Whether it's travel expenses, vehicle repair, or medical costs for urushiol poisoning (or rockfalls, beestings, hand slices, toxic sap, etc), your financial support allows this content to continue so the beauty of Earth's flora can be made accessible to the rest of us in the degenerate public. At a time when so much is disappearing beneath the human footprint, CPBBD is willing to do whatever it takes to document these plant species and the ecological communities they are a part of before they're gone for good.
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Thanks, GFY.

[@jefftackett9484]

Loved this episode. Forty two years ago I worked as a range specialist for the BLM in that area and did range survey of the plants all throughout Fremont county. We were dropped off each day in specific locations and had to walk along tracks that were laid out by our supervisor. You would walk along the track and at 10 points on each track you would lay what looked like a hulu hoop at the end of your toe (you had to use a specific pace and count your steps) and record every plant you saw in the plot and estimate the weight of each plant. Two out of 10 plots you actually had to cut and weight each species. You got really good at the estimating after couple weeks of doing this. There were areas that were exceptionally beautiful and other areas that were desolate. The dominate grass in that area by the way is Agropyron smithii, Western Wheatgrass. I saw plenty of it in the video. I often ran into herds of wild horses and pronghorn. The worst was the Sage Grouse. They would hide in amongst the Artemisia tridentata and when you were 1 foot away would explode out and fly away. It would scare the crap out of me every time. And yes, the cows were obnoxious.

[@spockspock]

The wind blew so hard for so long while I was putting wire field fence along the tracks that you couldn’t get three feet from the wire without getting zapped, knocked down, from the static. It’s like another planet.

[@malcolmmarzo2461]

Your tie-in of geology with botany really enhances the videos.

[@joseywilds3133]

Yeah, it all works together

[@GiantPetRat]

"You never truly can escape the doomed and ominous circumstance that is the state of California." -Joey Santoro

[@kenny6920]

Meh the whole world really

[@equinoxproject2284]

9:40 Jack turns away like he's heard it all before.

[@Lysergic_]

Criminally underrated channel. Feels like if national geographic hired a gang from chicago to run the botany timeslot

[@Lysergic_]

Actually I dont want it to blow up cuz the comments will be ruined by the fart smelling hippies. I guess maybe if they stwrt watching they might change though. I can only hope

[@guitarnutbolinuli5788]

I am enjoying very much the addition of geologic and soil chemistry context in your videos. It is nearly as interesting as the plants themselves and is always thought provoking.

[@evasartorius9528]

He is an excellent teacher.

[@bascia3125]

That wild horse sh*t caught me off guard I couldn't stop laughing! Thank you! Loved the video, very educational!

[@Totalinternalreflection]

Thanks for taking me to another place I’ll likely never see myself.

[@TheSuperCommentGuy]

Shoutouts to SAW

[@notarabbit1752]

Joey: *yelling into a camera* "SO THIS ONE IS FROM THE ASTERACEAE FAMILY AND ITS SITTING ON THIS ROCK FORMATION THAT FORMED ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE PRECAMBRIAN ERA. DO ME A FAVOR AND LEARN YOUR GEOLOGIC TIMELINE YA PRICKS." Also Joey: "amazing, how do the deer always know where I am?"

[@lairdhaynes1986]

Lol

[@HaddockHazard]

Who is Joey?

[@notarabbit1752]

@@HaddockHazard its a baby kangaroo

[@overthenever4262]

@@HaddockHazard His name , 😎 Joey Sands AKA Tony 🌴

[@beeorchidsandsidewinders4105]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q37SgZqhl6p9nJI

[@CBell07306]

My labmate is studying this plant, these are her weather stations! Really cool to see you cover this super neat plant! She's also doing pollinator studies to try to figure out what is pollinating it.

[@rucks5417]

"OH ITS NASTY... but I kinda like it!" Never change Tony ya prick

[@globeflicker9216]

I could get into some G&G with hot desert flower copulation. 😉🤣 11:44

[@Cloveis]

Class is in session!

[@katiekane5247]

Anyone who brings an umbrella for their dogs is ok by me. Plants you find, man

[@leonf.7893]

This was a particularly entertaining episode. Thanks for brightening up my day and teaching me new stuff.

[@nothertreeinbox]

I bought the "only you can lower property values" shirt off of the bonfire page. I'm quite pleased with it.

[@stephenpmurphy591]

Oh shite! Desert Yellowhead sounds like an old miner with chronic Hepitis B. Common name's are always confusing. What a amazing plant. Thanks for the upload Tony.

[@treebeard8475]

Lmao!

[@jackdub7740]

"geology never gets old." gaddam Dr. Santoro, sometimes your wisdom is frightening. lmfao

[@swayback7375]

Profound!

[@globeflicker9216]

I think Yogi Berra said that too 🤣

[@dreamingone615]

Sir, you're my designated end of the world commentator. Screaming into the void. Beautiful. The walks in the wilderness with a buddy are cool as hell too. Thanks for dropping knowledge and being. Turning the camera on was a great idea. Way to go.

[@Toddis]

What a treat

[@valerieserval4731]

oui

[@LOOMIS1638]

Wind/bird distribution? Great class today, man! Thank you!🇺🇸

[@EnglishDave6767]

Ahhh, yeah! Thanks 🙏 for another great botanical walkabout in the high & dry. Cheers, from Southern Oregon.

[@globeflicker9216]

Cold as balls Hot as balls That’s the American desert

[@coryboatz4434]

"The biogeography dungeon is vast and exciting" love it haha your love for this world and the thirst for knowledge is really refreshing bro. Wish you the best

[@deb5215]

I'm no dog expert, but I am 99% convinced that they just plotted against you with using that umbrella there, I'd keep an eye on that, don't let that get out of hand

[@evasartorius9528]

Like me his situation got out of hand a long time ago. I have to take my animals treats TOO them. It started out with one crippled up old dog who had earned the indulgence. After he left us my next oldest dog thought she deserved the delivery. Then the rescue dog and the baby all them would wait on the sofa for their treats. Now its the dogs and about half the cats. Liver, chicken, Bonita flakes, you name it and they wait with their Sunday best manners.

[@deb5215]

@@evasartorius9528 they have this way of making us bend to their will without question, I swear. I have one cat and she has me opening doors and curtains which she could easily do herself, they're never closed, she just needs to push them open but nope, I have to do it for her. She refuses to drink from anything but a small tumbler which I find myself refilling constantly and bringing out to her at the dinner table like I'm some kind of waiter. She never thanks me either, I just get a look of disdain which... is probably fair, can't fault that. Wouldn't be without her though, even if she probably is plotting my demise. She's adorable lol

[@evasartorius9528]

@@deb5215 Yeah, we are the problem.

[@chriswalford4161]

@@deb5215 : I can just see her nonchalantly licking a paw as your coffin lid is screwed down

[@deb5215]

@@chriswalford4161 lol you know what, I really hope she gets to do this, I'm rooting for her

[@luca920]

Your videos are an escape out of the concrete jungle and really are a joy to watch. You're so lucky living in the USA with so many ecosystems to explore. Thanks and keep the good stuff coming!

[@fuxan]

Yes and those ecosystems are being paved over by the second. It is disgusting. Another reason I dont have a child. They'll never see what I got to see as a kid.

[@treering8228]

You’re spoiling me with so many videos lately! Love what you do and how you do it!

[@thedudegrowsfood284]

Always a breath of (relatively) fresh air! Thanks.

[@grannyplants1764]

So very thankful you go and film where I will never be able to go... after a pan the extreme close-ups of the flowers are the best. Please consider a book with a half page or whole page for each plant with flowers, you are showing things very few folks have access to, let alone the camera skills. Sometimes I can back up and take a pic but the captions hide the plant name, plus whoever is transcribing knows diddly about plant names etc. it’s truly useless for anyone who really needs the captions. Be safe, esp facing the bipedal “guardians” 🌿🌱😎

[@marcdenton2996]

Thank you again for making ‘science’ entertaining and educational. Watch out for Jack. Make sure he gets plenty of water.

[@familyfriendlymoniker8623]

I can’t help but read all of the comments in his accent.

[@contemporiser]

I try to read botany books in his accent, but it just aint working for me

[@forgethought8174]

This approach improves my enjoyment of the comments, immensely.

[@indianoladave]

Hey yo! Thanks for coming to Humboldt CA. Great show ya lunatic.

[@jackdub7740]

good morning uncle tony!

[@JohnnyHS]

Thank you for these videos. They really make my brain relax. Thank you so much. I really appreciate them.

[@treebeard8475]

Tony I woke up last Saturday and it seemed hazy I thought my eyes were fucked but it was just the fires in the west. Hello from CT thank you for the new video!

[@GemmatheCat]

This is some quality content my man. Keep it up!

[@1234j]

Your videos enrich my days. Thank you so much from Herefordshire in England. (Silurian and Devonian old red sandstone plus some surprises)

[@1OutOf8Billion]

Your interdisciplinary vids never cease to draw me back to your channel.

[@pimpdaddygary]

Setting up a cloning chamber for the winter and this pops up. How fitting.

[@treebeard8475]

What are you cloning? Planning on taking some clones for fall/ winter too.

[@pimpdaddygary]

@@treebeard8475 Nothing too spectacular. Hydrangea petiolaris, several species of lonicera, and clematis. Always grown from seed in the past. Figured I'd give cloning a shot this year.

[@treebeard8475]

@@pimpdaddygary always keep growing brother! Something satisfying about giving a plant the perfect artificial environment in the middle of an icy winter.

[@PlayRoom44]

I’m very close to Wyoming. Come to Red Lodge. You won’t be disappointed

[@marcdenton2996]

I sure wish my high school teachers were just as ‘insightful’ as you are. I would have stayed in school. Instead, I went into the army & got a different sort of education.

[@LDrosophila]

Looking foward to the WY flora and geology

[@royahold1966]

Fantastic.

[@kmm129]

My happy place.

[@jossue9120]

i really enjoy watching your videos, the vegetation you show us its very different at what I have in my home. Love ya.

[@markweidemann4641]

Very Nice Tony... Very Nice!!! 👌 👌 👌

[@albertocardenas6565]

Keep making amazing videos!!! 👍

[@vomact1052]

Dr. Santoro you make my day

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Middle Wyoming, 5 mil. year ago, early Pliocene, depends on what time of year, you could either be cooking or covered with several yards of pack snow.

[@RobertBardos]

Great episode interesting place for sure.

[@leeanncory91]

Beautiful scenery and light

[@proffd972]

I found your channel today and i laughed my arse off. You deserve my subscribe

[@kayallen7603]

Mafic fun in the high & dry!. Love it!

[@alexkarasoulos]

Ever thought about heading to Cape Cod/New England? We have some dope animals and crazy plants in the dunes

[@Fabdanc]

I love this. I grew up not too far from this area.

[@sarahdubz1333]

Please please one day Joe, could you go visit Al Scroch. Lord that would be awesome! Haha

[@dancemontec]

I just saw the BIF you mentioned in Michigan! It was indeed beautiful

[@timbillings6884]

👍👍 Them cantaloupe are hard to get close to!!! ☺️

[@WE-sf3xv]

amazing study Thank you

[@peterhennig926]

I enjoyed your video and especially your chosen character. The voice puts me in mind of Nat the dog walker played by Hank Azaria from "Mad About You", a 90's sitcom. One of my favorite Azaria characters. Be well.

[@autotoyexchangegarage7053]

We had California smoke in Virginia this weekend.

[@flyemhard]

thanks...very nice

[@brighton1931]

Dont ever stop making these videos. 😎

[@PlayRoom44]

Pretty please I’d love to meet you. Whenever I am walking in the woods I wish you were telling me what all the flowers are

[@Dhardy316]

I have been using his voice when in middle of woods coming across something interesting that needs out loud explanations...even though im by myself 😂

[@PlayRoom44]

Dhardy 🤣 I wouldn’t be able to pull that off. But I imagine him getting as excited about every beautiful flower and then telling me stuff about them

[@katiekane5247]

@@Dhardy316 had I only known the appeal of swearing, spouting Latin & looking at cool plants, I might not be a poor grandma 😂

[@lovingdeanthegodmachine5622]

@@Dhardy316 Glad I’m not alone!😂🤣😭

[@PlayRoom44]

I yell at my cat like that. Mostly for the crime of having no hands to do the dishes or shoveling 😉

[@peterbathum2775]

thanks for the travel video. may never get there but feels now like I did firetrucking A

[@rwedereyet]

How could you leave us, at pronghorns and giraffes

[@evasartorius9528]

That air is crystal clear to someone in Northern Alberta. The other day a combination of thick smoke and heavy cloud cover made it so dark that I needed a light to read outside to at 10:00 AM.

[@lovingdeanthegodmachine5622]

Wow that’s rough be safe and healthy much love from Pennsylvania!

[@evasartorius9528]

@@lovingdeanthegodmachine5622 Same to you.....

[@wyomingtreeplanter]

I can hardly wait until you go seeking for the Blowout Penstemon. Found somewhat north of Rawlins.

[@tombombadil3185]

Nice! Worth paying for.

[@tombombadil3185]

BTW, my goofy parts are the best ones.

[@rogerb4971]

Not positive, but pretty sure I've encountered Yermo in Sublette or Sweetwater County. Great vid! Thanks!

[@mikaelgaiason688]

Those fires are crazy. Here in butthole Nebraska the haze is pretty thick and there's air quality warnings

[@treebeard8475]

I can’t even imagine I can see smoke on the east coast of the USA some days.. stay safe out there

[@ernestschultz5065]

To a New York City boy like me that looks like a different planet.

[@craighoover1495]

Thank you Joey. I was left wondering where all the tumbleweeds are? Is this area free of invasive plants and represents a true natural landscape?

[@treebeard8475]

It looks hilly I assume they are at the bottom of the hill haha

[@craighoover1495]

@@haseo8244 That said, I was wondering if he had seen any Cheat Grass or Russian Thistle and also was wondering if the area he was in might be a climax vegetation type which might suppress these two problem plants. Thank you for helping me to more accurately coin my question.

[@LiLi-or2gm]

Tony, you pronounce "Oregon" like a native Oregonian! Nice! (And thanks for another great video!)

[@mikeh4840]

Just found your channel by chance. I cant fully make out your accent, Chicago-ish? Anyway, subbed cause I enjoy your coloful commentary!

[@rridderbusch518]

@Mike H Yep, he's from Chicago. He's interviewed here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/anO3aYt-f8Z3o5I

[@anaritamartinho1340]

Nice

[@errhka]

Anyone know where he is in 31:57? Fascinating geology

[@MichaelMikeTheRussianBot]

re @22:48 Arnoglossum atriplicifolium - one in one of my garden spaces (heavy on the compost, & no competition) is ~8' tall. Never tasted it though. On my to-do list now, as soon as it's done blooming. ;)

[@ginavaleriano9894]

In line with your animosity towards cattle, my NewsBreak App threw up a headline while I was watching this video: “ PA woman tapped by multiple cows, airlifted to hospital”. (Presumably, it was the woman who was airlifted to the hospital, not the cows).

[@uglyweirdo1389]

Thanks.

[@swayback7375]

18:20 how is that stenotus growing? That’s all just 1 old plant in that mound? Is the mound soil, or old plant material from past years with live stems growing through it, it looks like a caudex hiding under it. Crazy plants

[@illfaptothis333]

i went to death valley yesterday was really profound

[@PlayRoom44]

Are you still in Wyoming? Come to Montana! I want you to take a nature walk with me🌈

[@raphlvlogs271]

survival of the most adaptable.

[@alexander.Rainforest1987]

Nice phlox

[@jej7117]

When you coming to northern maine?

[@rivitraven]

That's alluvial it's too coarse to be a stream sediment. Regardless it's very close to it's source.

[@aleclyrae1804]

Does dat arnoglossem expressit self as any of da fullgrowing treese i seen ah westahdatah columbia platoe? The one tree i seen was i thought i reckoned it to be a gum acacia? Seed pods look similar to those marvelous massive arnoglosse we were lookin in on the podincles @29:55 ... Sarri i cannot timestamp worth a timestamp.

[@blengravers]

Another nice video. I'd suggest wetting your dogs down their backs to help keep them cool.

[@timkirkpatrick9155]

Wyoming falls in the short grass prairie zone which extends south into NM and TX..

[@wildehawk2803]

I was waiting for you to say podunkle-donk 😂

[@shawnbaxter1001]

The rest Wyoming does not claim extreme Northwest WY either! But better they are there than in the rest of the state!!!

[@natepowell1914]

Bro please do some Ohio valley deciduous forests!

[@Joannesyoga]

liked the brevicaule and gordonii

[@giovannatorrico3623]

i want umbrella! 😍

[@spammehere67601]

Are we up in glacier country? Them things left rocks clean down to Kansas.

[@joseywilds3133]

It’s all schist to me 🤣😂🤣 Edit: loved the rectal exam term, I’m stealing that as a geology professor

[@therivergod849]

#we're all packed ass to neck......my favorite reason to escape to my plants and animals and sky!

[@mistermusturd6402]

Canned chicken always A Treat that we like to eat when we are hungry

[@sazji]

That’s a beauty. Do your civic duty and pollinate those suckers! We just got the first peach-colored wildfire sun here in Seattle…considering how much has been burning we’ve been pretty fortunate so far. Having broken a record for days without rain, that will change soon enough no doubt.