regional endemic that still has a global rank of "G3" (globally 

 vulnerable) , and it has a history of being considered for listing 

 under the Endangered Species Act (3C status) . Its tracking 

 status will be determined pending review of its global rank and 

 the policy of retaining species of federal 3C status. It was 

 previously recommended for sensitive status in Montana (Lesica 

 and Shelly 1991) . 



C. DESCRIPTION 



1. GENERAL NONTECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Sword townsendia is a small 

 herbaceous plant lying low to the ground with one (or more) 



inf loresence (s) mounted on the stemless crown(s) of the taproot. 

 It typically has just one flower, but multiple flowers per plant 

 are common. The inf loresence has the appearance of a daisy in 

 having ray flowers ("petals"), surrounding numerous disk flowers 

 in a flat center (Section VI. Photograph A). The ray flowers 

 ("petals") are a subtle off-white color, and the disk flowers are 

 yellow. The leaves are shaped like a trowel, and they are 

 covered by long loose hairs which gives them a wooly appearance. 



2. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Cespitose acaulescent perennial (or 

 sometimes biennial) plant less than 5 cm. high, with 

 conspicuously woolly-villous herbage. Leaves spathulate to 

 obovate, mostly 1-1.5 cm long and 2-4 mm. wide. Heads sessile or 

 solitary on naked scapes less than 5 cm. long; involucre 1 cm. or 

 more high, bracts acuminate or attenuate, rays usually 1-2 cm. 

 long, pale off-white color. 



3. LOCAL FIELD CHARACTERS: The ray flowers are the most prominent 

 feature on the plant, though they have a pale off-white color 

 that blends in with some of the surrounding outcrop setting. 

 This small, almost camouflaged plant cannot readily be located 

 from a distance. 



It is difficult to locate individuals when they do not have open 

 intact flowers. It cannot be dependably located except in early 

 May through mid June (see discussion under Phenology) . 



Other species of Townsendia grow in the vicinity of T. 

 spathulata . but usually in somewhat more mesic settings. These 

 include Townsendia hookeri and T. parry i . The former differs 

 from T. spathulata in having violet ray petals. The latter 

 differs in having a distinct flowering stem as well as violet ray 

 petals. In general, there are no other species of Townsendia in 

 Montana with the combined characteristics of having broad leaves, 

 a spathulate leaf shape, or a densely hair leaf. The appearance 

 of T. spathulata is closest to that of T. condensata, which has a 

 pronounced cushion-like growth form and a very different habitat 

 in alpine settings. Sword townsendia is not readily confused 

 with any other species or genus in the Sunflower Family. 



