One of the wildflowers I see every year around my Missouri countryside, but have never posted about, is the Partridge Pea (Cassia fasciculata). This common wildflower still has some time before it blooms … typically it blooms anytime from June through October. It grows about 2 feet tall and each plant can have from one to several flowers, about 1-inch across. Seeds from this plant are eaten by quail, as well as other birds. Here are a few images of the Partridge Pea:
Looking from the “backside” of the plant, here is a good closeup of the plant’s leaves, which I always see and identify well before the flowers start to appear: 
Photographic Equipment Used:
- Canon 7D body
- Canon EF500mm, f/4, IS lens + Canon 1.4x TC (total of 700mm) – I had this setup for photographing prairie birds
- Gitzo 1258-LVL carbon fiber tripod, with Kirk Ent. HD ballhead
- ISO 320
- Aperture f/8
- Shutter 1/400 sec.