I 



Nonetheless, the difficulty with the type specimen 

 remains as mentioned by Cronquist, and reiterated 

 by Moore and Frankton (1963) : "The type of C. 

 subniveum is more densely hairy than most of the 

 specimens to which the name is here applied, and 

 it is possible that our plants need another name" 

 (Hitchcock et al. 1955) . Thus, there may be two 

 taxa involved which both currently are called C. 

 subniveum . 



B. PRESENT LEGAL OR OTHER FORMAL STATUS 



1. FEDERAL STATUS 



a. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: No status. 



b. U.S. FOREST SERVICE: Cirsium subniveum is on 

 the U.S. Forest Service, Region 1 list of 

 sensitive species (U.S. Department of 

 Agriculture 1991) . Objectives and policy of 

 the U.S. Forest Service provide for the 

 management and protection of sensitive 

 species under sections 2670.22 and 2670.32 in 

 the 1984 Forest Service Manual. Under these 

 guidelines, the Forest Service is to (a) 

 "maintain viable populations of all native 

 species of plants" (2670.22), and (b) "avoid 

 or minimize impacts to species whose 

 viability has been identified as a concern" 



(2670.32.3) . 



2. STATE: Prior to the 1991 field season, Cirsium 

 subniveum was listed by the Montana Natural 

 Heritage Program as "very rare and local within 

 its range" (global rank G3G4) by the Montana 

 Natural Heritage Program (Achuff 1991) . This 

 species was also listed for the state as 

 "critically imperiled in Montana because of 

 rarity" (SI = 1-5 occurrences) . The current 

 number of known populations within the state is 

 twelve. There will be no change in this species' 

 global rank, but the state rank will be revised to 

 S2 (6-20 occurrences) "imperiled in Montana 

 because of rarity" to reflect the results of the 

 1991 field surveys. 



C. DESCRIPTION 



1. GENERAL NONTECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: This taprooted 

 perennial member of the thistle genus (Sunflower 

 Family) may grow to a height of 28 inches. The 

 freely-branching, slender stems are covered with 



