Had an issue while running through the Talon mission, "Tales of the Past." This is using the Project Eden scenario but uses the Temperate Starter planet and is specific to the Small Settlement POI, which should still affect the base game. The problem is when performing the step, "Seal Friendship." In the Small Settlement POI, the chief and the trader stand next to each other. I bought the sprout, but continued to browse the trader's inventory. After closing the trade dialog, the mission was already on the step, "Creatures of the Night." What likely happened is that the Noble Deeds step took place while I was distracted by the trader dialog and completely missed what was said. There was no history of the dialog for the Noble Deeds step in the PDA, so I was unable to see why I had to go to the Monument, other than killing spiders. Attached is a screenshot of the Small Settlement POI.
Also, if you already have a sprout in inventory, you dont have to speak to the trader, that step is already completed (the whole purpose of buying a sprout to be told its an interresting choice you made no matter what you chose is also questionable)
I confirmed what @Ramor said. If you have sprouts in your inventory (from the personal cargo box at the Large Wreckage) then the step is satisfied by the sprouts already in your inventory.