Plants of this species are ''monocarpic'' (= ''fruits once''). That is, they live for a number of years as a (generally larger and larger) non-flowering rosette...building up photosynthate reserves and storing them in their above and underground parts. Then when they're ready, and conditions are right, they send up a flowering stalk, go to fruit, disseminate seed, and subsequently die.

In the photo here, you can see both an old stalk from last year (in front of the fruiting plant), and a pre-flowering rosette at the center left.

Thanks to Neal Kramer for alerting me to the population here, as our field group was walking past.